


Arkham Secrets

by toonwalla



Series: The Arkham Files [1]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman: Arkham (Video Games), Batman: Arkham - All Media Types
Genre: Arkham Asylum, Arkham Verse, Crimes & Criminals, Gen, Insanity, Mental Institutions, Mystery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-02
Updated: 2018-02-13
Packaged: 2018-04-18 14:32:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 19
Words: 88,155
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4709483
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toonwalla/pseuds/toonwalla
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When young student Marina “Mina” Poole signs up to intern at Arkham Asylum, it’s inevitable that she'd stumble upon a Pandora’s box full of secrets. Secrets that some of the crazy inmates would simply kill to get their hands on…secrets she never even knew she had…</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. 13 Years Ago...

The people of Gotham City were used to hearing about strange crimes. As part of living in the city of darkness and ultimate corruption it wasn’t uncommon for one to hear about muggings, heists, mob wars and even serial murders on the daily news.

Indeed the awful news was such a cemented part of everyday life that it was perhaps the only thing the ever wary citizens could ever be certain on in their grim lives.

But even Gotham city has its exceptions.

And one of them was sitting before policeman James Worthington “Jim” Gordon.

His ginger moustache quivered as he took in the image of the child as she sat in the hospital medical bed, her little black eyes boring into him as she watched him intently.

She was a small girl, around the age of six or seven years old, wearing a white hospital gown that seemed to swamp out her scrawny form. Her white blonde hair was tied back in two pigtails that framed her pale, slightly malnourished face that looked almost grey in the dim light of the Gotham City Hospital.

“Hey...how are you feeling?”

But even as Gordon spoke to her she fixed him in a piercing stare that had him feeling very nervous indeed, for her gaze was nearly as dark as the void of the night outside.

“Fine I guess”

 “Do…you need anything?”

The girl just blinked and turned her eyes away to the window through which she could see the foggy grungy city bustling down below as rain pelted down from big dark storm clouds.

Gordon chewed the insides of his cheeks as he tried to think of something else to say. For a small kid the girl was remarkably calm given the situation. Most kids he’d had to deal with would usually be crying for their parents by now, or if they were quiet they’d be as frightened as little mice.

This girl on the other hand…

Gordon followed her gaze his eyes sympathetic as he made to crouch beside her.

But before he could open his mouth she spoke:

“They’re not coming back…are they?”

Her voice was as empty as the dead look in her eyes and just as cold. So cold that Gordon almost shivered as he replied.

“…No…but-but it’s going to be alright. You’re going to be alright… you’re safe now” he added though even he wondered if that was more for himself than for her.

Either way, the girl didn’t seem phased as the door to the small ward opened and a nurse with a kind face and dirty blonde hair bustled in, pushing with a food trolley in one hand as she carried a clipboard in the other.

“Officer” she nodded pleasantly to Gordon, though he was quick to notice her body stiffen as she caught his eye.

Of course everyone in Gotham knew to be wary of the police. Not because of their status as law enforcers, but because they were more often than not, just as bad as the criminals they were sent to “catch”.

Gordon, thankfully (and to his own personal pride) was not one of those dirty cops, and so it was with a respectful nod of the head that he made to reply.

“I’ll wait outside till you’re done. If you need anything just call” he added.

The nurse nodded swiftly as she made to tend to the child, a smile of genuine care finally settling over her face as the policeman stepped outside and shut the door.

“Here you are sweetie, nice and freshly heated.” She settled the tray on the child’s lap her smile never leaving as her young patient took one look at the food and at once began demolishing the contents of her plate.

“Whoa! Whoa! Slow down there! You’ll get sick if you keep going at it like that.” the nurse laughed as she gently pried her charge from the plate.

The girl pouted but nonetheless let the woman handle her. She had a gentle measured touch, one that made her feel nice…and safe…less cold…

“What’s your name?” she asked as she was helped with a spoonful of broccoli and mash.

“My name?” the nurse blinked in surprise, but her smile was quick to return as she pointed to her name tag on her scrubs “It’s Emelia, Emelia Poole”

And then because she felt it was right Emelia asked:

“What’s your name?”

The little girl just shrugged, completely unabashed by the gesture as her caretaker frowned in puzzlement.

 “You don’t know your name?”

“No…” The girl said through another mouthful of mash. “never had one”

“You mean the other…children?” Emelia gulped doing her best not to glance over at the door where the shadow of Officer Gordon was most likely still standing.

The girl however did not notice the fear, nor did she care as she shrugged again.

“yeah…guess so…the big man said we can’t have names…said we don’t need them.”

“and…why don’t you need them?” Emelia tried her best to smile only to feel her gut sink further and further as the child responded, and for the first time her voice was soft and sad…or at least just ever so slightly strained.

“be-because we not anything. No one wants us. We all nothing…we will all be nothing…unless someone buys us…”

“Buys you?” Emelia blurted before she could stop herself, and so loudly that Officer Gordon poked his head through the door in concern.

“Is something wrong?”

“um…” Emelia bit her lip as the child blinked up at her in confusion.

“Wait just a moment.” She spluttered and as quick as a flash she darted over to the officer, hissing furiously and quietly as she could.

The girl couldn’t catch what they were saying, but knew the nice nurse lady was just repeating what she’d just heard to the strange policeman who nodded calmly, though she, the child, could see that he was just as disturbed if not more so than the nurse.

But why? The little girl wondered to herself.

Why were they disturbed? Had she said something wrong?

The big man sold a lot of other kids her age to other people, most of them scary and mean looking people that would shrewdly look you over before making a purchase, like farmers buying new cattle for the flock. More often then not they took the girls, which they were willing to pay more for especially if they were pretty.

But more often than not the customers would come back looking for a new kid to replace the one they bought for a cheaper price. A new and hopefully smarter kid.

Be smart or die.

It was a fact of life most Gotham orphans became accustomed to quite quickly, including the girl in the hospital bed.

Indeed she was still wary even as the nurse Emilia came back, this time followed by Officer Gordon whose face was determined but worried as he made to sit by her bed again.

“Hi there again” he smiled, but it was a little strained. “good meal?”

“Umhmm!” the girl nodded as she clumsily set down her fork and looked at him expectantly.

However for once the policeman didn’t leave her waiting, and was quick to reply.

“Nurse Poole says you know a bit about the man who…um… kept you?”

“The big man?” the girl tilted her head.

“yes the Big man.” Gordon nodded “Do you remember his name?”

“uh-uh.” The girl shook her head. “he never told us. We only called him sir.”

“Do you remember what he looked like?” Gordon pressed as gently as he could, but his heart was hammering in his chest as he watched the girl chew her lip in thought.

“Big” she muttered after a pause. “Big…like a bear…wore a he wore a fancy black suit and a mask over his face. A big black one…like a ske-skeleton’s” she added blushing with as her tiny stutter’s wavered into silence.

She was so embarrassed that she didn’t see how pale Gordon’s face had become as he exchanged a shocked look with the Nurse Emilia, who had been standing by the door hands clasped over her mouth.

She couldn’t even bring herself to speak as the child continued to go on talking, completely unaware of the horrors of what she was revealing to the two adults.

“there were other big mean men like him…they wore masks too. The same black one. They watched us when we were on the boat. Told us to stay quiet when they put us in the big box. Said we were goin’ to go someplace bad if we didn’t be good and quiet.”

“I see…” Gordon gulped doing his best and mostly failing to swallow down the churning feeling in his gut “and did these big mean guys say they were taking you to?”

The girl shook her head again.

“Nah…nothing. We asked but he didn’t tell. Said it was a surprise…Sorry…I would’a told ya if I knew…” she added when she saw Gordon’s face fall a little, though he was quick to cover it up with a cough.

“It’s okay kid I understand. It must have been scary for you” he assured her gently though his mind gave him a gentle nudge “Wait, wait! A boat? You were on a boat?”

“uh-huh” the girl nodded enthusiastically as she held out her arms wide “A _really_ big boat. It took us ‘cross the har-harbor and to the fancy club. It was big with lots and lots of big boxes and a word in big letters on the side”

“do you remember what these letters spelled?”

“Something with M …Like Mary but longer? Maryanne-No-no that’s not it! Um…”

“Could you spell it out for me kid? Slowly” Gordon asked barely holding back his excitement as he made to scribble something down in a notepad he had on hand as the girl frowned in concentration.

“Um…there was an M…then there was an A…then an-uh-R! yes that’s it an R. and after that…uh…I don’t remember the next one…” she bit her lip only to gasp as recognition “Oh yeah that’s right it was an I! And then an N and a A! YEAH! That’s it M-A-R-I-N-A”

“the Marina….Well that explains a lot” he added more to himself than to anyone else just as the door to the ward opened with a creak.

“Gordon!” a voice barked loudly, making poor Emilia squeak in her spot.

Gordon turned and saw a grouchy, slightly grubby police officer with a hangdog face and droopy eyes standing growling in the doorway, a cell phone in his hands.

“the Commish says to get yer arse back into headquarters when you’re done playin’ teaparty with the kid. And yer better hurry up because he’s pissed!”

“Alright, alright I’m coming in five” Gordon gruffly shrugged his colleague off, before giving the young girl a small smile.

“Thank you kid. You’ve been a great help. I’ll be back in the morning to check up on her progress” He said as he turned to the Nurse Emilia Poole who nodded back stiffly, as she eyed the grubby cop beside her with a mixture of distaste and wariness.

Not that he could blame her, Gordon snorted to himself.

And so it was with a gruff scowl that he listened to his colleague’s loud sneers as they exited the ward.

“So, that’s the freak kid they brought in huh?”

“The kid’s not a freak Boggs” Gordon growled softly, his moustache quivering as his eyes narrowed. “She’s just in shock. What happened was quite traumatic-”

“Yeah-yeah! For us normal people” Officer Boggs waved Gordon off “And from what I’ve seen in this business, that kid is weird. Even the docs think she’s freaky. I mean how else can one little girl survive breathing in a room filled with poisonous gas? You tell me?”

“Alright I admit it, the circumstances are strange” Gordon sighed heavily. “But that doesn’t make the girl a freak. Who knows, maybe she could’ve held her breath-”

“For two hours?” Boggs’ eyes narrowed “ya think a little girl like that coulda held her breath for that long when Black Mask’s goons and a room full of people couldn’t even stop themselves from vomiting their own guts out for two minutes? Seriously Gordon-” he leaned in and hissed “-I know you like kids, but you gotta admit…this girl…she ain’t normal. Just look at her! She just watched seven men die in front of her, and she’s sitting there right as rain and chatting as if she just went out to the park with mummy and daddy. Now take it from a guy who’s seen the craziest of the crazies in this miserable town…this girl’s got something seriously wrong…yer can see it in those eyes”

“She’s in shock. She’ll come round soon enough.” Gordon repeated himself sternly, but Boggs rolled his eyes.

“She’s insane Gordon. And you may not see it now, but you will soon. that kid in there…” his eyes narrowed as he backed away from the door of the closed ward. “-she’s dangerous”

“Boggs, she’s just a kid-” Gordon called out but Boggs was already trudging away not even bothering to look back as he yelled down the corridor.

“Kid my arse! One day she’s going to be worse than those crims out there, you mark my words.”

And before Gordon could even get another word in, Boggs was already turning the corridor and out of sight…


	2. First Impressions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Remember tonight... for it is the beginning of always”   
> ― Dante Alighieri

The large office was silent as an elderly severe faced woman in a white coat with a strange flipped double “A” symbol printed on the front left, made to press the record button on an old, battered, but still resiliently functioning tape recorder.

“Arkham Asylum employee orientation recording now. Miss Marina Poole?” the elderly woman turned back in her seat to look at her new charge.

It was a young woman also dressed in the same Arkham coat as her interviewer. She was tall, willowy and pale with long white blonde hair tied up neatly in a ponytail behind her pretty but sharp face. In it two jet black eyes stared out unflinchingly as she clipped:

“It’s Mina.”

“Very well then Mina. As you may have heard before I am Dr Gretchen Whistler and I am the head psychologist here at Arkham Asylum. As your boss it is my responsibility to oversee and keep track of all our new intern’s progress…especially since…”

But then Dr Whistler trailed off and shook her head.

“Never mind. Now before I talk you through about our procedures and your duties why don’t you tell me a bit about yourself?”

“What would you like to know?” Mina snorted, her voice as stiff as her eyes which were still staring unblinkingly at Dr Whistler, who bristled as she picked up a clipboard from her desk.

“Well for starters, why would someone as young as you submit an application into Arkham for your one year internship?”

“Why not” Mina shrugged. “Arkham does boast the newest upcoming technology and research of mental health. Not to mention it holds some of the most high profile patients of our century”

“Yes, high profile and incredibly dangerous” Dr Whistler’s eyes narrowed warningly. “Most would rather kill you before speaking to you…there are even a couple who would eat you for breakfast-”

“Like the misanthropic cannibalistic crocodile guy on the second floor?” Mina’s pale brow quirked, much to the elder doctor’s surprise. “I saw him on my way here. Seems to me that Mr Cash could really use a hand when dealing with him, lest he wants to lose the other one too.”

 “Yes well, thank you for your concern” Whistler coughed her eyes flickering back down to her clipboard as she turned a page over. “But we shouldn’t be facing problems with the patient anymore. As of tonight he will be moved to a more, ahem, _secure_ and _isolated_ location where he can be treated safely”

“Safe for him or safe for you?” Mina snorted, more to herself than to anyone else, but still Whistler heard her for when she replied there was a definite icy snap to her voice.

“Both. Now…I have read through your resume and your professor’s references. From what I have seen of your work, in addition to your major in psychology, you have quite an interest in both toxicology and immunology. Considering these skills I think you would be suited to work with Dr Kellerman. He specializes with patients with rather… _unique_ conditions. I am sure your skillset would be of most help to him.”

“And I’m sure his experience would be most beneficial to my development and learning” Mina grunted, her face settling back to being blank again as she looked over her new bosses shoulder and out of the small window.

 The sight outside of it was a dark one. Literally, it was as dark and as grim as a castle from gothic horror literature, what with the tall impending buildings, gargoyles, statues and stone being pelted down upon by rain from grey-black storm clouds.

But Mira’s mind wasn’t dwelling on the rain, nor the facility it was drenching, but of the list that echoed through her mind as she made to sign the last of the paperwork that Dr Whistler presented before her.

_Get top marks in class, Check!_

A signature for Occupational Health and Safety Policies and Procedures.

_Apply for internship into Arkham Asylum, Check!_

One signature on the confidentiality agreement.

_Now what was that next check point? Ah…yes…that’s right…_

Mira’s hand hovered for one second over the final employment contract form, and for a split second, Dr Whislter thought she saw what looked to be apprehension flicker over those beady black eyes. But in two seconds it was gone, and the clipboard was being returned to her.

There was a small pause in which Dr Whistler stared at the young woman. For the first time since she’d walked in the room, a small smile had appeared on her face. Well it wasn’t exactly a smile, Dr Whistler noticed to her growing discomfort. It was more of a small yet strangely sinister upwards quirk of the mouth, that did not reach the young woman’s cold black eyes.

“Very well, it all seems to be in order.”Dr Whistler gulped to herself as she stood to her feet.

She wasn’t sure why…but she just felt like she had pulled the trigger on something big…and now there was no turning back…

_No, get a grip on yourself Gretchen! She’s just trying to be friendly…_

And with that Dr Whistler stood up and held out her hand to the young woman who took it and shook it once

“Welcome to Arkham Asylum Miss Poole … I do hope you find your learning experience enriching and fruitful”

Mira’s smirk grew ever so slightly.

“So do I Doctor Whistler. So do I…”

_Get into Arkham Asylum…check!_

\--


	3. Dark Days and Dark Knights

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires.”   
> ― William Shakespeare, Macbeth

"As you can see employee facilities are up to date and fitted out with the most modern equipment, save for these priceless artefacts that are still part of the estate-"

_Just show me my office you twit!_

Mina Poole barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes as she followed Doctor Gretchen Whistler down the long wood lined hallway.

She understood that she should get a tour of the facility, but seriously did the old hag have to keep droning on and on in that stupid thick accent of hers?

It almost made her wish she hadn't succeeded in getting the job.

She could only hope Doctor Kellerman was less of a snob than the woman before her, who was still sniffing haughtily as she led her new employee down another corridor. This one was lined with doors that had little brass plaques with names engraved on each of them.

"The North Corridor" Dr. Whistler clipped as they walked along each of the doors. "This is where you and your junior colleagues will be spending much of your time when you are not with Doctor Kellerman in Intensive Treatment or in the Medical Center"

"Medical Center?"

"Most junior interns are usually tasked with running errands between facilities, with the exception of our penitentiary of course. Only the guards and senior medical officers are allowed in there, unless you have been given special clearance from the Warden to help treat a patient unable to leave confinement. But that is unlikely to happen. Most of Kellerman's patients are fairly docile and willing…at the moment…"

Whistler trailed off. Mina blinked, the only sign of her curiosity on her otherwise blank face as she watched Whistler finally stop at a door at the far end of the corridor and knock at it.

"Doctor Kellerman! Doctor Kellerman!"

"One moment-one moment!" a man's voice grumbled as a pair of feet shuffled towards the door.

It opened quickly to reveal a man, middle aged and with a slight spread around his middle that made his crumpled Arkham Doctor's uniform stretch slightly around the middle. His balding head of brown hair was streaked with random grey strands and his blue eyes drooped down at the sides, giving him the look of an overgrown hound dog.

"Good Morning Doctor Whistler" he yawned wide, stretching his hands behind his back so hard that his backbone creaked loudly.

However Dr Whistler was not impressed as she looked his messy uniform over, the elbows of her own crisp and neatly pressed coat barely creasing as she made to adjust her glasses on her stiff nose.

"It is actually afternoon Stephan." She clipped and Kellerman almost flinched at the tones, though he was quick to compose himself.

"Yes well," he coughed straightening his coat "Long night you know. I was just pouring over Doctor Crane's notes, the ones on his new 'fear-gas' that he used last month in his raid on the city. Brilliant stuff, but" he quickly added as Whistler quirked a stern brow "but horrible of course. So far it seems incomplete, or so Crane seems to think. You see the effects only last for an hour at a time when administered a normal dosage via aerosol dispersant, but during that time they are still very potent and quite deadly. It may be a while before a proper cure can be discovered, even with the Asylum's resources"

"Then it's a good thing the Asylum can outsource its own brainpower" Whistler snorted as she stood to the side to allow Kellerman to finally see Mina for the first time.

The effect was instantaneous, he perked up at once, eyes glimmering with pleasant surprise as he looked over the young face and the new nametag on the pristine and untouched coat.

"Doctor Kellerman, let me introduce Marina Poole. Your new intern from Gotham University. Miss Poole this is Doctor Stephen Kellerman, Arkham's head of Bio-chemical research and treatments."

"It's nice to meet you Sir" Mina made to smile. The effect was so startling that Whistler froze where she stood. Gone was the eerily blank almost dead stranger. Now a pretty young woman stood, her face as sweet as sugar, spice and everything oh-so nice as she proffered her hand for her new boss to shake.

And boy was he eager to take it.

"Ah yes. Mina Poole! I was wondering when I was going to meet you. Professor Dervish speaks most highly of you."

"I'm sure half of what he said was probably blown out of proportion"

"Ha-ha! Yes William does tend to do that sometimes" Kellerman laughed loudly much to Whistler's mounting irritation.

"If that is all then I'll leave you to familiarize your new intern with her new duties. Good day" she clipped and before another word could be said she was striding back down the corridor.

As soon as she was out of sight Mina rolled her eyes.

"Does she always have a stick shoved up her ass?"

"Only when she's with the new blood" Kellerman snorted as he turned back to his new intern, the good natured smile returning to his face. "Speaking of which it is good to have a new face around here. You won't believe how exhausting it is having only psychotic criminals to talk to"

"I can only imagine…" Mina muttered, her black eyes flickering beyond the older doctor's shoulder and into his office.

If it could be called an office. Actually it looked rather like a bizarre mixture of a personal laboratory and a greenhouse what with the plants sitting in pots between the glass equipment.

The only thing that seemed to remain of the office was the wooden desk at the far end by the window, and even that was covered from head to foot in papers. Even the computer was covered in them.

If Kellerman was embarrassed by the mess he didn't show it. No, scratch that, he didn't care even as he made to usher her inside.

"So…you're my new protégé. I must admit you're a lot younger than I thought you'd be. But then again Dervish always did say, train 'em up young"

"Yes he's often said that to me too" Mina smirked as she quietly cleared a chair of papers and delicately placed them on the floor by her feet, just as Kellerman made to clear some room to peer at her from behind his desk.

"So Mina. Tell me a bit about yourself?"

"I'm twenty years old. Just moved out of home. And now I intern here" Mina shrugged casually "Not really much else to say about myself."

"Somehow I doubt that's true." Kellerman smiled, easily mistaking her aloofness for nerves, much to her annoyance. "I've seen your marks and your essays and I must say you are possessed of a brilliant mind Miss Poole. I'm sure there must be some reason for you coming to Arkham, when someone such as yourself has the pick of the litter with internships around the entire country."

"Oh…I guess if you put it that way…" Mina paused oh-so-thoughtfully biting her lip as she made to examine the man before her.

_Definitely a family man…most likely has daughters, or wishes he has them…but is slightly too absorbed in his work to really be a father to anyone save his interns…like me…_

"Well…to tell you the truth, I'm not sure why I applied here per say…I mean don't get me wrong, this is a top notch facility…and the patients treated here are of course some of the most severely affected mental patients in the world" she paused gauging Kellerman's reaction and was pleased to see him hanging onto her every word with a benign kindly smile.

_Hook line and sinker…_

The small triumphant smile returned to her face though it was quickly disguised by a small sigh to the floor.

"But if I were to be really honest…I guess, I always felt that the psychiatrists who come in from the other states, well they don't really understand the truly delicate nature of what Gotham is and what it does to people. Not like you or I Doctor" She added making sure to smile sadly at the dark window outside. "We were both born and raised in this dark city. We understand its turbulent nature and how it can change others to make it work if they are vulnerable enough. Hence why we do what we do…to help repair the damage we have to help the vulnerable become strong…"

"You mean to say, you think the patients are vulnerable?" Kellerman frowned, But Mina could tell he was quite enraptured by her words now as he leaned forwards in his chair to listen to her words, which she was careful to tread over with the most delicate of touches.

"No…but they were once. And whilst I may sound a bit too sentimentally philosophical, I believe that more often than not we are more susceptible to changes when we are at our most vulnerable state of mind. And if we can find out how those changes occurred, then at least, we have some chance of properly helping someone the right way, rather than just popping them with pills and drugs"

"Hmph…I've never thought about it like that before…" Kellerman muttered looking down to his notes as he thoughtfully scratched his chin. When he looked up it was to see Mina giving him a very sheepish smile.

"Sorry, I hope that I wasn't overstepping the mark."

"Oh-no-no Miss Poole" Kellerman was quick to quell her bumbling with a smile "It's quite alright, in fact that has been one of the most genuine answers I've ever received for that question."

"Oh really?" Mina blinked, true genuine surprise flickering over her face as Kellerman chuckled.

"Yes, and let me tell you it's a relief to my sore ears. You are truly an inquisitive one. I'll bet you were the child who always asked why about everything" he chuckled and of course she blushed sheepishly.

"yeah…it drove my teachers up the wall"

"And so it should!" Kellerman coughed down his chuckles, the smile still on his face "Curiosity is a must have in succeeding in our line of work. Yes it can often lead to dangerous situations if not used correctly, but I can tell you at least are a responsible young lady Miss Poole, or you will be by the time I'm through with you"

Mina watched, slowly getting to her feet as the old doctor rustled through his desk and quickly pulled out two very bulky and very large yellow manila files each one stamped in bold red "confidential"

_If that doesn't scream "read me" I don't know what else does?_

Mina snorted softly to herself as Kellerman did his best to steady himself under the weight of his cargo

"Right, now onto your duties. Throughout the next couple of months, I will need you to you to help me liaise my notes and many of my new findings with Doctor Young, one of our chief researchers. I daresay her new project will need all the help it can get."

"Right…" Mina nodded with a grunt as she took the files in her arms. Boy, they were heavy like tombstones. "When should I give her these?"

"Oh no, these aren't for her. They're for you" Kellerman's smirk widened "You may not be at University Miss Poole but that doesn't mean you stop studying. In addition to your errands you will be helping me observe my two most severe patients. Both of them are rather unique and quite a handful if I must say."

"They sound charming." Mina snorted "When do I get to meet them?"

"Oh not until Monday next week, when they get out of solitary. I daresay that will give you enough time to learn all about them?"

If Mina thought Kellerman was smirking before, it was nothing compared to the smug look flashing over his face.

_Bastard_

She mentally swore, though her face betrayed not a hint of her scowl. It was Thursday, Monday was only four days away. No wait it was three and a half days away. And she wasn't going to be coming in on Saturday and Sunday, and she couldn't bring the very confidential and very sensitive files home with her. How the hell was she going to learn two giant tomes of information in only one night?

But no sooner had she thought it, a little voice sneered in her head.

_Giving up so soon? And after all that trouble you took to get in too? What a wuss!_

And with the fire burning in her gut she forced a smile on her face as she looked up at her new boss.

"I guess I'll have to burn the midnight oil huh?"

Kellerman smiled.

"Yes. Welcome to Arkham Asylum Miss Poole."

* * *

Mira Poole was not a woman easily frightened, but even she had to admit the Asylum on Arkham Island was truly a sight to behold.

The five facilities that were all scattered over on each part of the island carried the same funk of hopelessness and darkness even in the day. A feat which wasn't helped at all by Gotham's notoriously bad weather, that almost always made the skies above one of the most depressing shades of grey.

The people too, inmates and staff, were of similar mindsets, though the doctors seemed to be more or less desensitized to their surroundings. Not like their patients who all were quick to soak up the horrible atmosphere like sponges in water.

_And people wonder why they're so mad…_

Mina sighed softly to herself, the sound echoing off the walls of the great library around her, just loudly enough to be heard over the rain pelting at the window.

She was back in the Mansion, after a day of tours from Doctor Kellerman and meetings with various members of staff, including the rather spineless fat git that was Quincy Sharp, the Warden of Arkham Asylum.

* * *

**She had met him quite by accident as she was being shown around the Intensive Care facility along with the one handed Chief of Security Aaron Cash.**

**Cash at least had the decency to greet her like a regular human being, albeit a younger rookie who would "soon be croc chow if she didn't watch her step with the prisoners".**

**Sharp on the other hand was a haughty little leech. It didn't take a genius to work that one out, but still, it made her skin crawl whenever she thought of those little beaded eyes roving over her body, whilst his little piggy brain decided what he should say to her.**

**She was fortunate that their meeting was cut short by the arrival of two people. Or rather a thin person with brown hair and green eyes in a straitjacket being dragged by a tall hulking dark figure.**

**That was perhaps, the first thing that had truly shocked Mina at all that day.**

**Oh yes she knew the man in the white strait-jacket straight off the bat. Which Gotham kid wouldn't know the faces of their city's most notorious criminals, even if they did look like they'd been hit repeatedly by a steak tenderizer?**

**Still it gave her quite a jolt as the criminal craned his head to look up at Warden Sharp, his green eyes narrowed with absolute loathing.**

**"Edward Nygma"**

**"Hmm…back to the company of the imbecilic once again" the man huffed. His drawl was so casual and so disdainful that Mina would have thought he was watching paint dry with a vengeance against boredom.**

**"I believe this is yours" a deep voice growled to the room at large.**

**It took a couple of seconds for Mina to register where the voice had come from, and when she did she almost leapt out of her skin.**

**Of course it was common knowledge that the Dark Knight often brought his toughest rogues back to the Asylum once he'd defeated them, but she'd never dreamed that she'd see him on her first day…let alone accompanied by The Riddler.**

**Like a chameleon in the forest she rooted herself to the ground, gripping her clipboard, and hoping against hope that no one would notice her presence as the Batman made to turn to Cash and hand him something. It appeared to be a cane, with a green box like question mark at the head.**

**"I have uninstalled the device in his cane. But still it should be kept as far away as possible"**

**"Yeah six feet under with him" Cash grumbled under his breath, but was quick to cough as the eye slits in the black cowl narrowed dangerously.**

**"And make sure his access to the computers is restricted."**

**"We have an isolated cell down C-block quite removed from most electrical wires all set up and ready for him" Sharp clipped much to the irritation of the Riddler who pouted as he looked around for something to interest him.**

**Such mediocre small talk bored him to no end, and he already knew all the faces around him…or did he?**

**"Oh…what's this Sharp? A new face?"**

**_Well…so much for being invisible._ **

**Mina rolled her dark eyes as a pair of green eyes met her face, intrigue settling in with a small smirk.**

**"Keep your mouth shut Riddler!" Cash snapped harshly as he made to grab the villain's shoulder gruffly. Riddler however refused to budge, as his eyes roved over the new meat before him.**

**She was attractive, even a man without eyes could see that. But she wasn't beautiful, at least not by the superficial standards of this day and age. Rather she was striking and… unique. Pale skin, pale hair, her body not curvy but naturally thin and willowy. Her eyes, dark pinpricks of black, were framed by a fine featured face that cast sharp shadows in the dim light of the asylum.**

**But what the genius criminal was pleased to see more than anything else, was the gleam in those dark eyes.**

**"Interesting" He tilted his head, smirk widening as she minutely mimicked the gesture, maintaining eye contact with him in spite of her nerves as he made to sneer.**

**"Riddle me this, newbie. Say my name and I disappear. What am I?"**

**"Oh this is just ridiculous" Kellerman groaned about to step forwards but he was quickly held back by the shoulder by Batman, who was watching the young intern with a very intense stare.**

**True she was nervous at the spotlight being on her, but that was where the fear ended. He could see it in her posture. Calm, poised and relaxed…or at least it was _relaxing_  as she delved into her thoughts for the answer.**

**But even as she opened her mouth to speak it, she shut it hastily.**

**Riddler frowned, displeasure and disappointment etched into his face as he grumbled.**

**"And here I finally thought you'd hire someone halfway decent Sharp. This one can't even give me the answer"**

**Warden Sharp was about to retort when the most unexpected thing happened. It was so surprising that even the Batman's hand twitched swiftly to his belt for a split second.**

**Mina Poole had smiled. Not a smirk, not a sinister tiny smile of triumph. But had actually smiled wide, red lips curled to reveal a full set of perfect teeth.**

**The effect was startling, but not as startling as the playful tone she used as she giggled-yes that's right giggled- at the restrained man before her.**

**"Oh, but Mr Nygma I thought I just gave you the answer."**

**It took Riddler a couple of seconds to process the situation which was just as absurd to him as it was to everyone else. However he was quick to recover his smirk returning in full force, his green eyes glinting with something that might have actually been genuine admiration laced with prideful bitterness.**

**"Well, well, well…" he murmured glancing sidelong at his other jailors "Aren't you an odd little conundrum. Riddle me this miss, what belongs to you but is used by others?"**

**"A name you're never going to figure out" a dark voice growled and Riddler's face was quick to contort. However before he could comment Batman had already shoved him into Cash's grip where upon he began to struggle.**

**"Don't get too full of yourself, Dark Knight. It only gets harder from here. Blasted infernal-"**

**"Yeah yeah I know. We're all inferior to your _superior_  mind. We've heard it a thousand times before. No need to fucking repeat yourself" Cash muttered darkly to himself as he pushed the madman through a set of doors.**

**But just before they passed through, Riddler turned back eyes swiveling to Mina, his smirk returning even as Batman made to step before her to shield her from view.**

**"Are you sure you should be shielding her from me…or should it be the other way around?"**

**"Shut up Nygma!" Cash tried to shout but Riddler was louder as he thrashed out of his hold, hobbling and weaving back up the corridor like a worm attacking dirt.**

**"Riddle me this Batman! She has it, she shouldn't share it, because if she shared it, she won't have it. What is it?! Come on! Even you with your lower intelligence could figure it out. Can't you see, what does she have?! Come on I'll even give you a big hint, it's a _secret_ " he hissed.**

**"Hey you, get over here and help me with this trash!" Cash roared and two guards quickly came forwards tugging the criminal back over the threshold and through the doors which shut behind him just in the middle of his yell.**

**"Can't any of you see it yet?! She's-"**

* * *

"Burning the midnight oil?" a voice deep and dark hissed.

Mina was grateful that she had put down her coffee because she would have sprayed it all over her patient folders. Instead she all but sent the thick file flying off the desk.

_That's what you get for dozing off in the middle of work!_

A small sneering voice hissed at the back of her head.

_Though it technically isn't my fault._

She couldn't help but scowl as she turned round in her chair and saw standing in the shadows of a tall bookcase, a black silhouette with horns atop his head.

"the caped crusader himself, to what do I owe the pleasure of this very late meeting?" she clucked her tongue eyes narrowing as she tried to drink in his other features in the small dingy light of the small dim desk lamp beside her. But all she saw of his face was shadow and blackness.

However what she lacked in sight she made up for with sound as he growled into the night

"What exactly were you thinking?"

"I'm not sure I follow…" Mina's brow furrowed, but the Dark knight was not fooled for an instant.

"Your act with the Riddler." He growled, stance stiffening "He says he admires intelligence, but can't stand anyone who bests his own. You just put yourself in the line of fire"

"So what?"

"So Marina Poole," and even as the syllables left his mouth, Batman could barely hold back the venom of frustration "I didn't drag you from Black Mask's club all those years ago so you could throw your life away over stupid mistakes"

There was a silence as Mina scowled, all charm and all cordiality gone in a flash as she rose to her feet.

"Listen, I don't care if you are Gotham's most  _beloved_ hero or the goddamn joker. But I don't answer to anyone and if I stuff up then so be it. I stuff up. I'm twenty years old, old enough to make my own decisions for myself without a vigilante from my past babysitting me!"

Though tall for her age and gender the top of her head still only reached the dark knight's strong chin, which was stiff as he made to growl:

"Decisions like coming to Arkham when you could've chosen any other facility?"

The slits in the black cowl narrowed.

"I've seen all your records-"

"Yeah you and everyone else" Mina muttered, but was ignored.

"-And prior to a month ago you had absolutely no interest in Arkham Asylum. So why the change of mind? What are you hoping to accomplish by coming here?...what are you hoping to find?"

There was a silence as Mina avoided the hidden eyes, which she was sure were fixed upon her face, searching for the hidden clues in her expressions.

Obviously he didn't need much time to find the incriminating evidence he was looking for, for his voice softened to a murmur that was still very gruff.

"You've found a link here haven't you? That's why you're here? You've finally found the clue you've been searching for?"

"it's none of your business" Mina snapped, the black eyes flashing dangerously into the cowl tat glared back.

"No, but the criminals in Arkham are" and with that Batman took a menacing step forwards so that he towered over the young woman whose fists clenched at the proximity.

"And if you rattle their cages, you might find yourself and many others in a world of trouble"

"Threatening civilians now are we" Mina snorted hollowly "Aren't the bad guys enou-"

"It is not a threat." Batman cut across her sharply "It's a fact. Riddler, Joker, Harley Quinn, all the others…they don't like someone poking their brains for information. It'll just push them over the edge, and when it does many people are going to get hurt."

"Not if I handle it carefully" Mina's lip curled, though she could feel her fist trembling from the urge to resist stepping back as the Dark Knight made to stare her down point blank.

"I'll say this only once. If I hear any whisper of your investigations here, whether it be an out of place file access or even a whisper from the inmates, I will not hesitate to alert the GCPD of your actions and have them remove you from this Asylum. Do I make myself clear?"

"As Crystal" Mina spat pleased to find that her voice had finally found its gumption as the Dark Knight took a step back.

As he did, she could not help but notice his harsh shadowed face relax ever so slightly in the half light.

"I know you want answers" he growled softly, and Mina was surprised to hear a twinge of- wait… was that sympathy - in his voice?

"But the information you are looking for is far too sensitive to uncover at a place like this. One wrong whisper and you'll find yourself swimming with the fishes in bottom of the harbor."

"And this matters to you because?"

"Because you have potential. Potential that can be put to better use, like curing your mother's disease."

Mina turned her back on the Dark Knight so he wouldn't see her black eyes glimmer as they burned with hot salt.

She gulped down hard on the lump in her throat as she glanced at her wristwatch it was well past one o' clock in the morning.

"You should go. You have a city to protect…and I need to finish reading all this junk before tomorrow" she muttered, her voice sounding oddly hoarse as she re-opened the file and sat back down at the desk.

She didn't hear him leave, nor did she see him. But she could feel the air around her thin out and ease somewhat, and the shadows lessen ever so slightly around her.

Not that it mattered to her, for even as she flipped open a page ten minutes later, her eyes slid shut, the dark of dreams replacing the dark of night.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoo! one chapter down. Man...it's hard to write for a video game. At least with TV and Movies you can easily get a scope of settings and characters. i did have to do a bit of research (and by that i mean playing) the games just to remember the maps and places and doctor names.
> 
> and on the topic of characters, were they alright? Batman and Riddler too OOC? I'm not really used to writing them in the Arkhamverse especially Riddler. God he's a bitch to write (i mean don't get me wrong i like his character but he's hard to frigging get write for!) both those riddles he asked i got off hte internet but i can't remember where. the answer to the first one was of course silence, and the answer to the second one was secrets (though i think you already got that).
> 
> Also i'm really interested to know what you think about Mina. She's not really like the usual OC's i'm used to making up, but i'm still having fun writing her.
> 
> Anyways Hope you enjoyed and keep reading and reviewing for more.


	4. What's in a Name?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." - William Shakespeare

**Chapter 3: What's in a Name?**

Monday came far too fast for Mina. So fast that she could barely remember the events of the weekend, much of which was spent studying the notes she was able to take down of her new case files.

As she was only a new junior intern, these would be her only two patients to quietly observe for the next few months, and even then she was allowed only minimal contact with them. They were Kellerman's patients not hers, though the older doctor assured her that as time went on she might be assigned to counsel some of the less severe patients.

But Mina was in no hurry. She didn't want her time at Arkham to speed up; such a course would only hamper her position during her stay.

It wasn't a high position, but it was one she needed and that was what mattered the most.

Even so she couldn't help but feel a slight bit excited as she exited the interns office, a large parlor room on the ground floor of the Arkham Mansion that was now covered in small workstations, and made her way to the front doors.

As soon as she stepped outside she bristled and shivered.

The sea-breeze blowing in from the harbor was adding a bite to the already nippy Autumn air, but it wasn't anything Mina hadn't experienced before. Gotham born and bred she was as accustomed to cold weather as a horse was to pulling a cart. It wasn't a comfortable experience, but you could still plough through with enough effort.

However not that her willpower could shake off the unpleasant tingles she felt creeping up her spine as she looked over the Asylum grounds.

Whilst the trees in Gotham City were still covered in shades of brown and amber, the trees of Arkham were bare and cold and black, framing the buildings like prickly thorns and nettles in a garden.

Either way, she was glad to enter the Intensive Treatment building where a burly pair of guards quickly ushered her inside.

"Cold today huh?" she smirked as one of them wiped a dripping nose.

"You could say that?" the guard with the runny nose snorted raising a brow pointedly to his colleague who smirked as Mina made to walk inside.

Just before the doors shut behind her she just managed to hear a snippet of his murmurs carried by the wind:

"I take that back, Kellerman's new kid won't last five minutes"

"I knew you'd see it my way"

_Bastards, I'll show you…_

Mina rolled her eyes as she stalked over to the building's receptionist/security guard, a surly looking man who looked as though he'd swallowed a box of lemons in one mouthful as he glowered at the computer screen before him.

"Name" he droned, with a boredom that suggested he'd been at his seat since time in memorial.

"Marina Poole" Mina said clearly and as sweetly as she could, only for the man to give her a cursory glaring glance as he snorted.

"Security card"

She handed him the card looking around nervously.

There were many guards here. More guards than doctors, many of them standing outside the doors to the double sided elevator.

It was this contraption that currently held her attention as the doors to it opened into the receptionists room. Out of it four guards hopped out tugging with them one person in their midst in an orange jumpsuit. One of the guards she recognized to be Frank Boles, a senior security guard, who was looking very tired indeed, a five-o-clock shadow making his grim face look even more scruffy in the dim light.

"Ahem" a voice coughed and Mina flinched as she took her card from the security man before her.

"Sorry" she muttered but already he was drawling again.

"All new interns are to wait for their assigned mentors in the waiting room right here until the time of the appointment, unless instructed by senior staff or security."

"Right…will do…thank you" Mina added quickly flashing a smile at the man, who blinked up at her owlishly.

Not often did guards like him get acknowledgement for their help or instruction, let alone from a smiling girl.

And so it was with a small gruff nod and little blush of his own that he grumbled "you're welcome" before shuffling off to check one of the security cameras at his station.

"Well, well, well if it isn't Kellerman's new little minion, all by her lonesome self"

Mina wheeled around, just in time to see the guards from the elevator shove hard at the prisoner in their midst, which turned out to be the tall lanky form of the Riddler.

He looked quite different in the orange jumpsuit than he did when in his usual green attire that she'd seen before the weekend. Also his bruises on his face were faded slightly and his glasses new, but plainer than his old ones, though neither of the lenses could quite hide the curious green gleam of his eyes as he smirked in her face.

"Riddle me this, had by few but treasured by all, I'm on the inside and outside and I make men fall. What am I?"

"Beauty. A concept that is important to idiots and bullshit to me, so don't be shocked if I don't blush and giggle like a schoolgirl with your flattery" Mina clucked her tongue, an action that made the guards almost flinch with nerves.

It was one thing to give back to an inmate; it was another to challenge one of the infamous Rogues.

But luckily for them Edward Nygma's curiosity and delight outweighed any bitterness he might have felt towards the new blood of the Asylum.

"ha-ha that almost rhymed. Of course there is plenty of room for refinement before you reach my level of mental  _brilliance_ -" He sighed oh-so-dramatically "-but you do at least have some foundation, perhaps there is hope for you yet,  _Mina Poole_ " he sniggered softly and she rolled her eyes.

"Is there anything I can help you with  _Mr Nygma_  or are you just trying to waste my time?"

"Waste  _your_  time, I certainly hope not." Riddler mock pouted "Why I don't know about you but this is one of the few conversations I actually am enjoying here in this intellectual dump. And speaking of time doc, or should I say  _intern_? Riddle me this, what goes up and never comes down-"

"My age should hardly matter-least of all to you" Mina replied coolly only for the inmate's smirk to grow especially wide.

"And it doesn't to me. For a man can be as old as a dinosaur but still be just as big an idiot as the day he was born…like you're dear new boss Kellerman. A man so inept at his job that he must outsource brainpower of others to do his work for him, oh and speak of the devil"

The Riddler's teeth gritted as the old doctor suddenly appeared in the main entrance to Intensive Treatment, his teeth chattering even as he made to approach Mina.

As soon as he saw the Rogue standing beside his new protégé, his face fell like a stone.

"Nygma! Just what do you think you are doing?"

"Just informing your new little lackey about your many shortcomings. I thought it would be kind to inform her before tossing her in the deep end with the rest of you buffoons. God knows what mundane tasks you will set to break her nice whole mind" Riddler replied coolly, and before any of the guards could respond he put a hand on Mina's neck and held the other up to it, a slender fountain pen held tightly in its grip.

It would have been a pitiful sight had it not been for the fact that the writing instrument had a sharp metal nib.

"Guards!" Kellerman cried out as Boles and the guards whipped out their guns.

"-Riddler don't-" Boles growled as he aimed at the villain, who only smirked as his grip tightened on Mina's windpipe.

"I don't think so Frank. You or your buffoons take one step closer and my hand just might  _slip_ " he hissed and indeed the hand that was holding the pen to Mina's throat pressed hard into her skin, the sharp metal nib digging into her skin.

Boles exchanged a hasty glance with his men, who all were looking very nervously but calmly at the scene before them.

Mina had heard rumors amongst the other staff that holdups like this were not uncommon following a rogue's return to the Asylum, especially when they got wind of the new blood in the building.

"They like to test yer out see?" One intern had told Mina, just that very morning. "The rogues especially. Ever since Joker turned that Harley chick of his nuts, they've all been trying their luck, hoping to get more of us. Perhaps turn us into one of their goons…or scare us to get information? Whatever tickles their fancy…"

When Mina had asked if any of their tactics had worked, the other interns had shrugged and shook their heads, though a couple admitted that they were afraid of the lengths the Rogues would go to achieve their means.

Well…their fears had indeed been confirmed, Mina noted bitterly as she stood in the Riddler's surprisingly hard grip doing her best to lean away from the sharp pen nib that now drew a drop of blood from her neck.

Boles, seeing the red against her pale skin, sighed heavily the sound so heavy as if it were costing him every last bit of strength he had left.

"Put down your weapons"

There was a small murmur of anger and revulsion, but nonetheless the other guards obeyed and slowly but surely pulling down their guns to hang low to the ground.

"That's better" Riddler grinned triumphantly, though he didn't remove his hands from the spots on his victim. "Now the game here is very simple. I'm going to ask you all a question, one  _simple_ question. If you get it right, I will let your new little minion go free. Answer wrongly and…well…like the hangman, she will be at the end of her rope"

Riddler's grip on Mina's throat constricted ever so slightly, much to Kellerman's dismay.

"What is the question?" the old doctor growled out only to cringe as the madman before him chuckled.

-"I'm so glad you asked. Riddle me this" he hissed past Mina's ear "The one who makes it, sells it. The one who buys it, never uses it. The one that uses it never knows that he's using it. What is it?"

There was silence as his words were digested taken in…but none of them were understood…

Mina could see it in all the eyes around her and Nygma. Many minds were trying desperately hard to work things out, twist the words in their heads, only to come up with…

…

…nothing.

Absolutely nothing…

_You have GOT to be fucking kidding me?!_

Mina's temple throbbed as she looked over each of the bewildered faces again and again.

Even Kellerman looked stumped for an answer, though that seemed to be more because of his fear that had taken over him.

In the depths of her gut a small flame of fury, flickered and burned.

"Coffin" She snarled, the fire so hot now that even the guards half expected steam to come out of her ears.

"It's a coffin isn't it? A coffin for a dead man"

Riddler blinked and then looked down to his charge who glared up at him.

He would've laughed at the almost childish expression had it not looked eerily….familiar?

_Hmm…now what have we here?_

The corners of the criminal's lips curled upwards in a small sneer.

_Oh no…but it couldn't be… Oh…oh-ho-ho, this is truly-_

"Correct" he muttered, and before Mina could even frown in confusion his hands had vanished from her neck.

"Well?" Riddler quirked an amused brow at Cash. "Aren't you going to do your job?"

Boles' face contorted.

"Take him away, now" he barked to the guards, who all nodded as they forced the rogue forwards roughly and steered him towards the seated waiting room and away from Mina, whom he grinned at.

"It was nice to see you again little conundrum. Perhaps the next time you might tell me your name?"

"Only when pigs fly Nygma" a rough voice called from the elevator and Mina looked up to see Aaron Cash walking towards them whilst several of his men led another hunched figure out of the lift and around a corner.

"We heard the commotion from the other side. You okay doc?" he grunted softly to Kellerman who nodded fervently.

"I'm alright. It's poor Mina here you should be worried about."

"I'm fine" Mina shrugged as the older guard snapped his attention to her, his eyes resting on the small dribble of red sliding down her throat.

"Bloody bastard. Boles should've checked him" Cash growled and Kellerman nodded.

"Indeed. We were just lucky my new intern had the brains to think on her feet. I swear Nygma's threats keep getting more and more difficult to decipher each time I see him"

If she had not been as shaken as she was by her ordeal, Mina could have shot the older doctor with one of the guards guns.

That puzzle the criminal had given her was grim, yes, threatening, definitely. But it certainly was not  _that_  hard! Even a junior-high kid could have gotten that one!

_No-no! keep it cool it's still just your first week here. Don't want to stuff anything up._

She breathed softly to herself, forcing her face into what she hoped was a sheepishly determined glare.

"Beginner's luck…I probably won't be so lucky next time"

Well that wasn't a complete lie she thought to herself as she caught sight of the Riddler through the corner of her eye.

She didn't know why…but the stare made her feel very uneasy. Alright so he was insane and she had just thwarted a possible escape attempt…or was it an escape?

He'd given up so quickly and so easily as soon as he'd caught sight of her face. Something about it must have triggered something, she was sure of it.

Was it amusement?

…Admiration?

...Recognition?

Her thoughts were interrupted by Cash's rough grating voice growling softly to Kellerman.

"Doc, your patient is in the room. We've taken every precaution and have stripped him of all his gear."

"All of it?" Kellerman hissed

"Down to that damned mask of his" Cash nodded though he looked nervous. "but still…he seems to be in the zone today. It might not be a good idea to take your new one in with you. Especially with what's just happened-"

"O-oh I'm okay, really" Mina mumbled wiping at her neck. "See? just a little prick. Which is more than I can say for Mr Nygma" she added glancing over her shoulder.

Sure enough the Riddler was sitting in the waiting room, hands now firmly handcuffed and held secure by a guard on either side of him so as to stop him from moving. But that didn't stop his eyes keeping a silent vigil on her form even as she quickly was quickly ushered away into a corner by a still very worried Kellerman.

"Are you sure you want to sit in on this Mina. I can arrange for another time-"

"I should be fine. I'll just sit in the chair behind. He won't even notice I'm there."

The old doctor looked like he wanted to argue, but Mina was more than prepared for his reaction. With a swiftness of a hungry cat her dark eyes widened just the slightest amount and her mouth pouted just the little bit.

Kellerman sighed heavily.

"Very well, you may come. But if the patient talks to you, you are not to respond. Let me do the talking, and if it gets too much for you, leave the room and stay with Cash and his men, they will keep you safe."

"of course Doctor Kellerman" Mina nodded meekly as she made to follow her boss down the corridor.

As she came to the corner, she could see through her peripheral the Riddler smirking at her knowingly.

_Che! So she's not just smart…but feisty too!_

He chuckled softly to himself as the young woman quickly turned away from his gaze and out of sight.

_A real chip of the old block…_

* * *

_Tick, tock, tick, tock…_

The clock kept ticking. On and on and on.

It tick-tocked its way through the seconds, the sound reverberating off the patient interview room in which a man was now sitting chained to the hard chaise chair opposite a large one way mirror.

He was a thin gaunt man, the orange jumpsuit seeming to pool about his form so much, it looked like he was wearing a sack. His skin was pale, pasty and sallow making his mop of very lank brown-blond stringy hair that looked like a thatch of dirty straw atop his head. His eyes, two blue dots were almost shadowed in his sunken sockets giving his face an almost skeletal quality.

Yes, Jonathan Crane was a terrible sight to behold indeed…

But it wasn't just his appearance that was frightening. Though not so gifted in brute strength he was blessed with a sharp mind which was in it's own right, a deadly weapon that was difficult to destroy.

There were some who said, that he had already destroyed it, corrupted it with his strange and unnatural experiments.

But they were wrong.

He wasn't corrupted, he was saved-no- he was liberated!

His mind was clearer than it had been in his entire life, for everything finally made some kind of sense. He understood, more than anyone else, that fear was not a vice, but a driving force for life and living things. That it gave human beings the means to reach their full potential, if only they knew how to harness it, like he was learning to do.

However there was just one small problem.

He never had enough subjects to experiment on.

But if he was correct in his thinking, then today he should be able to rectify that tiny issue, for today he was being assigned a new subject.

Or rather a new subject was being assigned to him.

Two blue eyes glinted shrewdly as they watched the door to the room open and two people stepped inside.

One was an older middle aged man with a flabby belly and a balding half grey head.

_Kellerman…an odd choice…I've never tested him before...now for the guard…_

The blue eyes then chose to wander to the second figure only to pause in surprise.

The figure that followed Kellerman wasn't a guard at all.

It was a girl, or rather a very slender willowy young woman with a sharp fine face and dark eyes that were looking around the room, drinking it all in with a nervous but intense curiosity.

_Ahh… a new little pupil, dipping her feet in for the first time…how quaint…_

Jonathan Crane's lip curled on one side as he watched the little intern quietly exchange a word with her mentor before timidly making to sit in a chair, right beside the tape recorder…which happened to be in a spot furthest away from where Crane was cuffed to the patients chair.

"Just stay by this recorder and take the notes. Don't come any closer and let me do the talking. If something happens alert the guard" Kellerman muttered and the girl nodded quietly.

But there was something about the look in her eyes that made Crane sit up ever so slightly in his chair. Though her mentor was obviously nervous about this meeting, the girl was not even the slightest bit hesitant about being in the room with such a hostile patient. She just sat there, gazing back into Crane's blue eyes, her dark gaze unflinching and above all…cold and blank?

_A defense mechanism for her stresses? Or is it something else?_

Crane tilted his head curiously and was almost amused when she unconsciously mimicked the action, much like a curious child.

_Interesting…very interesting…_

Crane smirked only to stiffen as a soft crackling pierced the silence of the room.

But it was only Kellerman turning on the tape recorder to begin the session.

"Patient interview 6. Dr. Crane has been back in custody for 3 weeks. Regular sessions have been inconclusive. I am not sure he is actually insane."

Crane scowled.

The fool, of course he wasn't insane. Any monkey with a clipboard could have told him that.

But being the professional that he was Crane let the comment slide and replied calmly, his high pitched voice smooth as a snake's hiss.

"Good evening, Stephen. How are you tonight?"

"I'm conducting the session, Jonathan." Kellerman clipped as he turned to sit in his chair before the villain who smiled derisively.

"Of course. If that helps you cope, I wouldn't have it any other way."

Kellerman looked like he wanted to punch his patient squarely in the jaw, but with a glance at his clipboard he held himself together…barely…

"Let's talk about the events 3 weeks ago." He coughed through gritted teeth "What did you think you'd achieve? Dr. Murphy is still in therapy."

Crane shrugged.

"I wanted to understand him. His personal demons. His fears. It's all quite fascinating, really."

"But you are... were a respected doctor. A brilliant mind, now just another resident in Arkham." Kellerman's voice turned soft and Crane was repulsed to hear pity lace it's way through his new subject's voice.

Such tones were for the weak of mind, the simpering weak minds that gave Crane headaches…much like the small one he was getting now.

"Can I have a drink? A strong one? This kind of question bores me."

"I'm afraid not." Kellerman shook his head only to lean back quickly as Crane's eyes flickered to life, shining with almost a desperate eagerness.

"Interesting choice of words, Doctor. Tell me, what are you afraid of?"

"This session is not about me Jonathan, it's about you!" Kellerman barked, but Crane could see the fear already flicker in the other man's eyes as he made to settle himself back in his chair.

"Now how about we start with your past. I understand you had quite a troubled childhood."

"Ah yes, the typical traumatized-childhood slant." Crane sneered scornfully, his eyes drifting back to the young intern behind Kellerman "A classic tactic usually employed by those versed in the Adlerian school of Individual Psycho-therapy. Focusing on how certain forces in pre-adult life-"

"-affects the final nature of their personality." The girl finished, before it seemed, she could stop herself. "He also holds the opinion that the individual human being is the best is the best judge of his or hers own interests, needs, desires and growth"

Crane's face softened ever so slightly as he looked upon the new intern. Though his full attention was upon her she still had not shown a trace of fear under the sudden scrutiny.

"What is your name?" he asked, his voice soft and careful.

"It's Mina, Mister Crane" the girl, Mina, stated, her voice blank and cold. Not like Kellerman who was almost livid with fear as the villain made to press his fingers together thoughtfully

"Mina…like Mina Harker from Bram Stoker's  _Dracula?_ An unusual name for a woman of this day and age. Is it a derivative of a greater name, or did your parents just have a good taste in literature?"

Mina's eyebrows rose high on her brow.

"I hardly see what my name has to do with the interview Mister Crane?"

"On the contrary  _Mina_ ," Crane all but hissed into the room. "Your name has everything to do with this interview. You see names are very, very valuable, very powerful things. A name can influence the course of a child's life. It is the label that others use to categorize that person socially, whether it be through affection of hurtful bullying. A name or title can grant power to the person who seizes it…it can also take away power and bring  _fear_  to the hearts of others."

"Like the Scarecrow?" Mina clipped and she was pleased to see Crane stiffen in his seat. "Is that why you called yourself that? To give yourself a sense of power over others?"

"Would  _you_  have feared me if I had called myself 'Jonathan' whilst I was  _working_?" Crane all but snapped, but Mina just sat as cool as a cucumber, a small smirk flickering over her lips.

"No. and I don't think your  _experiments_  would have taken you seriously either. Which brings me to my next question Mister Crane. Why did you ever take on this life of crime? Was it just for the sake of science, or was it just done to satisfy some long suppressed desire for control and personal justice?"

There was a deafening silence.

It was so quiet that even the small clock on the wall seemed to tick as loudly as an elephant's footsteps.

It was even quiet in the room behind the one way mirror, where a tall bald man with a beard, stood alongside the short pudgy form of the Warden Quincy Sharp, rubbing his chin in thought as he stared out through his glasses.

"Interesting…" he mused softly making Sharp jump in his spot.

"Oh-what Hugo? I didn't get that"

"It's nothing Warden" the man, Hugo, smirked quietly "Just thinking aloud, that's all"

He shut his mouth quickly after that, for he could hear Kellerman's voice waver as he coughed feebly.

"Yes well…now that's a good question Mina. Um…Jonathan, why do you do…what you do?"

Crane rolled his eyes, though internally he was grateful for the change in speaker. Kellerman was a much easier study at this moment in time.

The girl, for all her sweet looks, was certainly an unexpected challenge…a dangerous unpredictable variable in her own right. He would need more of his mental capacity and his equipment, to deal with her and unfortunately his three weeks in solitary confinement had sucked a lot of his brain power dry and stripped him of his resources.

But it wouldn't be long till he had both of those back…and then…

And then he'd break them all…

* * *

"Master Bruce?" an elderly voice echoed.

"What is it Alfred?"

A dark shadow, seated at a multi-screened computer console paused in its actions to turn its head towards an older man who stood in a suit just a few feet away, his expression half torn between exasperation and severity.

"Master Bruce, might I ask why you are looking at an old case file  _again,_ while you're supposed to be attending to your business?"

The white eyes of Bruce's masked face narrowed ever so slightly as a pair of hands swiped at the keyboard before it.

At once the screens before him began to flash with different images and reports, the most recent being a very recently created employee record, on which was printed the face of a pale woman with white blonde hair and black eyes.

"Do mine eyes deceive me or is that not the strange young girl you once rescued twelve years ago?" Alfred tilted his head to the side as he examined the girl's face "Ah yes now I remember, she was the one who survived the gassing of Black Mask's club on Halloween night."

"Marina Poole" Bruce nodded his eyes turning to slits as his gaze rested on the woman's face. "She was once a victim of Black Mask's child smuggling ring. I found her in one of his clubs when I was on the trail of the Joker. Soon after she was adopted by the pediatric nurse Emilia Poole wife of Doctor Robert Poole"

"And this Miss Poole, concerns you why?"

"Because she is now an intern at Arkham Asylum."

There was a small pause in which Alfred quirked a greying brow.

"A fitting place for a child of her disposition" Alfred snorted and when his charge turned to him he bristled "Forgive me for my bluntness Master Bruce, but even you have to admit that, that child is an odd one."

"Yes she is odd" Bruce growled his scowl darkening "Odd but incredibly smart…and potentially dangerous"

"Because?"

"Because she knows what she wants" Bruce's fists clenched. "and she knows how to get it for herself. She thinks things through, is methodical in every step-"

"How unlike anyone I know" Alfred muttered but was ignored as Bruce continued to ramble on.

"-analyses every detail of every one, and she is far too curious for her own good!"

"I take it that her curiosity has gotten her into a spot of trouble then" Alfred clipped.

"No" Bruce sighed rubbing his temple. "But it will soon. And when it does, it's not going to end well"

_In fact…_

Bruce shut his tired blue eyes and sighed heavily.

_I wouldn't be surprised if she was already stirring up trouble as I speak…_

* * *

"Oh Christ!" Mina puffed as she strode into the intern's office. It was night time now. Most of the other interns had gone home a couple of hours ago, but Kellerman was still running her through the ringer what with all the files he was making her transfer physically from the Medical center to the Mansion.

It was only now at nearly nine o'clock in the evening that she'd finally managed to bring back the last of the reports to her desk for her to file tomorrow.

Not nearly as exciting work as listening in on criminal patient interviews, but it was exhausting and she was sure she'd fall dead asleep on her pillow as soon as she hit it.

All in all, it was good work.

She looked over her desk, rubbing her sore neck. Barely a few days of work and already it was a mess with papers covering it from head to toe, sticky notes stuck to every corner, a small white box-

She stopped short and did a double take.

And there it was, lying on top of all her notes, a strange small white box.

"What the-" she breathed as she carefully made to open the lid.

The inside was filled with something soft and silky and red. She gingerly pulled on it and gasped as a slim and smooth stream of red slid up out of the box.

It was a ribbon. A long deep crimson, satin ribbon.

She ran it through her fingers, marveling at the lovely texture against her skin and the wonderful lustre it had even in the dim office light.

She lifted the last bit of it out to measure it and was surprised by a crinkling sound.

She looked into the box again.

There inside was a small folded up piece of paper. It was rather rough to touch after the silky softness of the ribbon, but still quite clean and neatly folded in two.

She opened it up carefully only to blink at the page on which was written one word in a very untidy very large scrawl of red.

_Darling_

"Darling what?" Mina whispered aloud, only to freeze as a small sound caught her ear.

The faint, unmistakable sound, of a little girl laughing…

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MUAHAHAHAHAAHA! (cackles) i think i'll just leave you all hanging there for a moment.
> 
> Keep reviewing if you want to find out more;)


	5. A Poisonous Personality

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.”  
> ― Gautama Buddha

The sound of the ticking clock was so grating that when Mina Poole began to stir she scowled darkly.

As swift and as hard as a hammer her hand smashed down, only to hit a flat wooden surface very hard.

"Owww…" she whined as she prized herself from her elbows.

Contrary to what her brain had originally thought, she was not in bed at her apartment, but sitting half draped over her office desk, her reports scattered all about her and her laptop.

_Oh fuck, what time is it?_

She groaned as her eyes cracked open to blink in the light that shone in her eyes.

It was morning, an unusually clear golden one, she noticed as she glanced through the office windows. The Asylum grounds outside looked peaceful and everything was quiet and sleepy and warm. Even the penitentiary building was dead silent, a rare thing seeing as there was always at least someone inside screaming.

_I guess even Psycho's need their sleep_

Mina yawned widely, stretching her arms behind her head as she wondered whether the staff Cafeteria downstairs would be open yet, because by god she needed a coffee, preferably a strong one with lots and lots of sugar.

But even as she checked her watch she saw to her dismay that it was roughly seven o clock in the morning. The prison Canteen and staff Cafeteria personnel only came in at about seven-forty-five to prepare for the eight-thirty breakfast.

_Well…seeing as I've got time and I've finished yesterday's work I better go freshen up for the day…_

Mina smirked to herself as she looked through her notes beneath her. She had only just finished them about three hours ago, and had only laid her head down to rest for a couple of minutes when she had fallen asleep.

It was a good thing the Asylum Mansion had bathrooms and change-rooms for all the busy night-owls because Mina was too exhausted to go back home to change and bathe. They weren't as big or as fancy as the ones in the medical center but Mina didn't mind, besides the doctors and nurses needed those more than she did.

She hummed lightly to herself as she strode down the hall, not noticing the strange movement in the corner of a window she passed.

She reached the showers in record time and almost whooped out loud when she saw no one was there. Perfect!

After quickly locking her file with her clothes in a secure dry locker she grabbed a towel and entered a shower cubical thinking about all she had just read the night before.

She had been re-reading and re-evaluating Doctor Kellerman's notes on his two patients Jonathan Crane (aka the Scarecrow) and Pamela Isley (or as she was known to the world Poison Ivy).

It was of Crane she thought of now as she scrubbed hard at her arms. It had been nearly a month since her first meeting with the rogue and had so far been not making much progress in his three sessions with Kellerman. The old doctor had been doing his best to just talk to his ex-colleague about something of substance, but Crane it seemed was not interested in such 'small talk' as he put it. No…he was interested in finding out details about his new potential subject.

Her.

_Well that's what you get by being a loud smart-arse!_

She scowled to herself as she made to scrub her upper back. As she did she allowed her hand to rest over the back of her left shoulder where a small crooked piece of skin was scarred. It was a brand mark, she knew that much from what her father had told her, but such was the position of it that she barely could make it out even when looking in a mirror. She'd had it for as long as she could remember, ever since that fateful night Batman had found her. It was a scar that had stretched with age and faded slightly, though she was certain it would never leave her…much like the ones she often saw in the patients she had to treat.

Like Poison Ivy, who had to live with her transformation, a constant reminder of her mistakes for every single day of the rest of her life. Of course she, like all the other villains coped by trying to show off to everyone else that she had  _accepted_  and embraced her past but Mina knew better. She of all people knew better.

The real question was, did Kellerman know better.

_Of course he doesn't understand._

Mina sighed to herself softly as she exited the shower and pulled on her clothes.

_If he did he wouldn't be as stupid as the other doctors_

She had just about pulled the files from her locker when something caught her attention in the corner of her eye. Something on the nearby security camera up above was moving.

The damned guards! She'd heard from the other female staff members that some of the guys in security sometimes liked to take a peek into the woman's restrooms and showers. But never did she think one would be working in the morning and when she was bathing too!

_No…wait…what's that?_

She took a step closer, eyeing the lens with intrigue.

Was it just her or was something green covering it.

"What the hell?" she mouthed as she made to squint.

Sure enough as clear as day, what looked to be green slimy moss and vines with leaves was covering the camera lens, blocking most of the view. A little of it had been shaken off by the camera's movements but it was clear that the view of the camera had probably been dark for a long time.

_Odd…maybe I should tell the guards-oh crap!_

"Shit" she swore aloud as she checked her watch. It was almost ten past eight. She only had an hour and a half to file these new reports with the Medical Center administration, as well as grab a bite to eat, prep Kellerman's lab for the new experiment coming in this afternoon and on top of it all get ready for another interview with Crane and Ivy (both one after the other).

_God! My lead had better be worth all this crap!_

Mina growled to herself as she sped out of the room, not noticing the green vines on the blocked video camera, move ever so slightly of their own accord.

* * *

"Ah Miss Poole. What a surprise to see you all alone" a nasally voice drawled softly as Mina entered the patient interview room, her face set in a small frown.

"Crap he's not here either" Mina muttered distractedly, ignoring the rogue as she made to go to the table where the tape recorder was. There were many papers, messy and dog eared and jumbled up. All with chemical compounds and strange formulae scribbled all over the notes.

Or at least they were strange to normal people. To Mina however the writings were as legible as a kindergartener's A-B-C's.

And yet…

_Odd…Stephen doesn't usually leave his work in here. And I could've sworn I took the tape out yesterday._

Her brow furrowed as she made to pull out a tape from the machine and read the label, on which the name Stephen Kellerman was written in the doctor's untidy scrawl.

As she was inspecting the tape, Jonathan Crane watched her shrewdly, blue eyes tracing over every feature as his body all but twitched.

What luck was with him today! For the first time since he'd first laid eyes on his new test subject she was finally alone with him, with no guard or doctor to hide behind.

Such a tempting turn of fortune.

_No…no I must still be careful_

The voice of Scarecrow hissed warningly in Crane's head.

_She is not like the others…she is unique…we must handle her with the utmost delicacy…_

And if there was one thing the ex-psychiatrist knew it was the art of subtlety.

Indeed, he was quick to mask his excitement with a blank curious look on his face as she turned to look at him, only just noticing his presence it seemed.

"Sorry Mister Crane" she muttered, though she did not at all sound too sorry. "I don't mean to make you wait. But as you can see, I seem to have misplaced my Mentor"

"That's quite alright Miss Poole. Take your time. As you can see I'm in no hurry to move" he added gesturing to his cuffed hands.

Mina nodded, the humor in his statement washing over her in her confusion and annoyance as she checked her phone.

There were no new messages, thus far and the last reminder had been attended to half an hour ago.

"Miss Poole" Crane's cough made her startle a little bit in surprise, much to his delight.

However she was quick to steady herself, her gaze patient but wary as she smiled coldly to the rogue.

"Yes Mister Crane, what is it?"

"How old are you?"

"Uh…twenty going on twenty-one…why do you ask?" Mina's eyes narrowed suspiciously as Crane tilted his head and smirked widely.

"Oh I was just wondering…it's not often such young interns are allowed to work at Arkham. You must have quite an intelligent mind if your professor could convince Doctor Whistler to hire you"

"I guess" Mina shrugged, but Crane could see the way her body stiffened ever so slightly.

He barely was able to suppress the growing leer as he made to lean forwards slightly in his seat.

"Your mentor's absence disturbs you I see"

"No not really" Mina muttered, doing her best not to shudder as those pair of blue eyes all but bored into her skull with the intensity of a cat watching a mouse and waiting to pounce.

"If it doesn't disturb you Miss Poole, then tell me…why are you looking through his notes with such concentration" Crane all but purred into the empty space.

"Because now I have to clean up after his sorry ass" Mina snapped, though she was quick to catch herself.

_Crap, keep it together girl._

She coughed quietly and turned to face Crane, her eyes set in a hard glare.

"Stay right where you are and keep quiet!"

Crane did as he was told, albeit reluctantly with many a dark mutter under his breath, his eyes still watching Mina's form as she opened the door and called outside.

"Cash! Cash!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Aaron Cash's gruff voice grumbled and Crane scowled as a pair of heavy booted footsteps came thundering up just outside the door.

"Is there something wrong? Is Scarecrow-"

"Mister Crane is fine Cash" Mina scowled, glancing back to the rogue who was sitting and watching her back with a hungry curious look she was becoming all too familiar with. "But that's not the problem."

"Then what is it?" Cash frowned. How could a rogue be in the room and not be causing the problem?

However all thoughts of Scarecrow's possible wrongdoings were wiped clean with Mina's next sentence.

"It's Kellerman, he's not here yet."

"Yeah so?" a security guard close by snorted but was silenced when Cash pulled up his metal hook for a hand.

"Have you tried calling him? Messaging him?" the older guard growled, and Mina was relieved to see genuine concern in his gruff voice.

"Yeah, but he hasn't responded to anything"

"And you haven't seen him at all this morning?"

"No. And the last I heard of him was last night at two when he sent me a message about sending in his reports to medical today."

"Did he leave any further instructions? Or say where he went?"

"Only that he was going to stay up and work on his own in his lab" Mina shook her head. "But I've just checked the lab before I came and he wasn't there. The only thing I've managed to find are these notes and the tape he left in here."

She held up the notes and the tape she'd found into the security guard's remaining hand.

It took Cash a full minute to look most of the papers over (mostly because he was hindered by his hook hand which almost punctured a page or two) but once he was done, his dark face was ashen and his eyes were wide.

When he spoke into his radio his voice held the slightest tremors of worry.

"Cash to Frankland. I need a lock down all facilities. One of the doc's has gone missing, one of the level nine patients might be involved. This is a code yellow emergency. I repeat this is a code yellow emergency."

There was a garbled "yes sir" from the other end of the line before it was cut off by static.

"Frankland! Frankland! Shit! Damn disturbance" Cash swore as he shoved his walkie talkie back into his holster before pulling out his gun.

"Alright you three take Crane back to his cell. The rest of you, come with me. Poole you too I need you to tell me everything" he barked but Mina was already storming back into the room, dark eyes flashing as she towered over Crane.

"Where is he?" she snarled much to Crane's derisive pleasure.

"I do not know Miss Poole…" he shrugged, his lips twisting into a sneer as he took in her face. "Why? Are you that afraid of his disappearance? Has it  _unsettled_  you that much?"

"I'll unsettle you if you don't answer my question Mister Crane" she growled barely able to keep back the snarl in her voice. "Where is Doctor Kellerman? What have you done with him?"

"What have  _I_  done with him?" Crane's eyebrows rose with amusement "why nothing at all? I like you was under the impression I would see him today, especially since I require his presence to continue my observations. But if he's not coming then I guess I'll have to settle for studying you Miss Poole, though I must say, your reaction to your fear is most intriguing. I am surprised that you would favor a fight reaction, rather than flight"

_I'll show you fight-_

"Poole get back here!" Cash's loud voice pierced through her thoughts.

Reluctantly Mina stepped back, biting her lip so hard that she knew it was bleeding a little as she watched three of Cash's men grab Crane and begin shoving him out the door.

Once he was a fair way out the door Cash looked to Mina his eyebrows raised.

"You know newbie don't know whether you are just incredibly stupid, brave or crazy"

"Probably all of the above" Mina muttered. "But if Crane's telling the truth and he doesn't know what happened to Stephen…" she pursed her lips into a thin line.

Cash's face softened ever so slightly as he put his good hand on her shoulder.

"We'll find him. He can't have been gone long. Who knows we might be able to spot him on the cameras"

"Cameras…" Mina breathed not noticing Cash as he let go of her to bark more orders at his men as her mind began to race.

_Cameras…spotting him…spying on every move…_

Her eyes roved upwards to the corner of the corridor where sure enough a camera lens was focusing and adjusting itself in her general direction…a camera lens with a vine wrapped tight around its base.

"Cash…" Mina called and Cash stopped in his tracks. "Where exactly is Poison Ivy?"

* * *

The trip to the penitentiary felt like forever, even though it was only about an hour and a half, by which time Warden Quincy Sharp had caught up with Cash, Mina and the other guards.

The older man was livid when Cash told him about Kellerman's disappearance, and was even more outraged when Mina told him about the security camera she'd seen in the bathroom that morning.

Needless to say he was positively seething with rage when Mina finally was able to play the tape she found in the patient interview room…

" _Oh Stephen. Thank you. You have no idea what this means to me to finally see my babies_ " a woman's voice chuckled smoothly and Mina literally face palmed as she heard the voice of her mentor slur and drool like a moron.

" _Anything for you Ivy…"_

 _"_ _Anything?"_

 _"_ _yes…even my life"_

 _"_ _that can be easily arranged"_

There was a click and the tape in the portable cassette player stopped, much to Warden Sharp's frustration.

"Damned bitch" he grunted under his breath "she knew we were going to find this"

"No she  _wanted_  us to find it. Big difference."  _Idiot_  Mina added in her head not that Sharp would've noticed as he and Cash all but ran towards a large cell at the end of the corridor.

It was the only cell in this area, and by far was the largest Mina had seen thus far. It had walls of glass, so that all could see inside. Or at least they were supposed to be able to see. The truth was that there was so many green plumes inside the enclosure that it was difficult to make out its contents, let alone it's occupant.

And what a specimen she was.

Tall and sultry, her green skin soft and shimmering, her lips red as her hair, a buxom body barley hidden under a very tight shirt and a covering made of leaves over her modesty…yes, Poison Ivy was truly a sight to behold.

Her half hooded green eyes were calculating as she watched Sharp storm up to the glass door of her cell and yell.

"Where is Doctor Kellerman?"

"How should I know, Warden? It does seem careless of you to have lost him." The female rogue smirked much to Sharp's mounting fury.

"I have no time for your games Miss Isley." He snapped. "Tell me where you have him. We have security footage of you and him leaving your cell last night."

"So?" Ivy snorted, somewhat pleased by the sight of the blustering old fool standing before her. Now if only she could have him begging on his knees…

"Do I need to spell it out? We know you hypnotized him, or whatever it is that you do. We know he took you somewhere, but conveniently, security cameras across the island were mysteriously covered by leaves and flowers at 3 AM. Now tell me where he is!"

"I'm not saying a word unless you do exactly what I tell you to do." Ivy hissed only to step back as another figure stepped into her line of vision.

A girl, thin, pale but sharp faced and angry as she made to stare into the rogue's green eyes which narrowed warily.

"Ah…Stephen's new lackey. I'm surprised to see you here"

"Really?" Mina raised her eyebrows coldly "Then your little  _babies_  on the camera's didn't tell you what they saw?"

If the chlorophyll in her skin could change, Ivy's face would have paled. Instead there was the slightest flicker of anxiousness in her green eyes.

It made Mina both happy and disturbed to see. Happy because she knew she had the upper hand, disturbed because she wondered if this was the same feeling Crane often got by digging in under people's skins.

Either way she was quick to press her advantage.

"Where is Stephen?"

"Oh he's somewhere on the island. I forget where exactly…" Ivy waved her hand as she turned her face away. Though she'd never admit it out loud, those girl's eyes were unnervingly familiar.

Indeed they caused her babies much disquiet. And how she hated it when her poor babies were unsettled. The sooner she got that girl away the better.

"He was close to the penitentiary last I saw of him, though he's probably long gone. The poor stupid man does like to wander."

_She's lying…She knows exactly where he is…_

Mina scowled but was not able to speak as Cash and Sharp both quickly jumped onto that new piece of information.

She sighed softly to herself.

_What did I do to get dumped with these idiots?_

* * *

"Master Bruce"

"Yes Alfred?"

"Sir there has been a Code yellow emergency lockdown at the Arkham Asylum."

"A lockdown? Has one of the inmates escaped?"

"No sir but one of their doctor's has been reported missing since the early hours of this morning. A doctor by the name of Stephen Kellerman"

"Kellerman? But he's not one to stay late at work? Especially on a Saturday."

"That's what I thought too sir. But according to the statement given to the guards he was supposed to be in his laboratory analyzing plant spores obtained from a certain Miss Pamela Isley."

"Ivy…that's odd. She's not usually so active this late in the year…unless…Alfred wait. The one who notified security, who was that?"

"Funny you should ask Master Bruce…"

* * *

"So…Stephen Kellerman…where did you go?" Mina muttered to herself as she peered through her mentor's office door.

After being escorted back to the Arkham Mansion for her own "safety" with the Warden, she had been quietly slipping around the old building looking in every nook and cranny for the old man.

Yes, she probably wasn't supposed to be snooping around in areas she wasn't supposed to go, but Cash had only told her not to leave the mansion, so technically her wandering was not disallowed.

Besides Kellerman had always allowed her into his office so her presence here wasn't suspicious at all.

"Didn't Cash tell you to stay put?"

"Don't you ever use a door like an ordinary person?" Mina growled as she turned around to face the tall powerful figure garbed all in black behind her.

If Batman was offended by the jab he did not show it. Instead he stepped forwards towards Kellerman's desk and eyed the papers.

"Poison Ivy abducted Kellerman"

"Yay! Give the world's greatest detective a star!" Mina droned as she turned back to her own search through the doctor's filing cabinet. "all jokes aside though…I probably should have seen this coming. I swear every session we had with her, her scent just kept getting stronger. At first I thought it was just me but now I see it was those damned pheromones of hers."

"Yes…they are quite potent" the Dark Knight spared Mina a glance as he sorted through Poison Ivy's rather thick patient profile. "and what's worse is that she's been slowly dosing Kellerman up for weeks. By now her hold on him would be quite strong. "

"I take it you speak from experience then?" Mina smirked back at the vigilante who only returned with a blank expression on his face.

"It is fortunate that her control over women is limited. If not you wouldn't have been able to interrogate her as effectively as you did today."

Mina frowned. Was it just her, or did the dark knight himself sound…impressed?

Oh who was she kidding? Batman was never impressed. He just did the job and flew off into the night to continue his duty.

Even so she couldn't help the tiny embarrassing heat that crept up to her ears that were thankfully hidden beneath her long pale hair.

"Yeah. No kidding" she scoffed turning away quickly from him. "But still I might have been more effective if I could threaten to punch her lights out. Maybe then she might've talked faster"

"Violence is never the answer, Jason"

"…Jason who?"

There was a silence in which Mina looked to the mirror on Kellerman's desk. In it she could see Batman's reflection clear as day. He had a crisp clean profile and a strong jaw that was slightly open as words in his barely parted mouth seemed to stick in his throat for just a moment.

But oddest of all were his eyes.

She could barely see them behind the transparent lenses of the cowl. Two deep blue orbs that might have been piercing and striking had it not been for the strangely haunting mist that flashed over them.

When he spoke his voice was even stiffer and gruffer than before.

"When did Kellerman send you the last message?"

Mina blinked.

"Uh…Around two-ish last night in a text."

"Using his cellphone?"

"Uh…" Mina quickly dug into her pocket and pulled out her own small phone flicking through the recent messages. "Yeah…yeah it was his…"

She trailed off, her eyes widening as she turned to the dark knight who held out his hand.

But Mina shook her head eyes glaring.

"no" she stated bluntly, only for Batman's eyes to narrow.

"I can use it to track him"

"I know" Mina's lips pursed "But if you want it you'll have to take me with you"

Though he didn't let it show on his face, she figured that the dark knight was sorely tempted to hit her at this point in time.

She of course was right.

* * *

Bruce Wayne, was not someone who was riled up easily. True his alter ego, the mysterious Batman, was often seen being aggressive and frightening, but rarely did he ever let his real anger surface whilst on duty.

Anger was not a help but a hindrance, a shroud that clouded common sense and rational thought.

He had trained long and hard not to let such a base emotion overcome his psyche as he worked cleaning up the dreadful city that was his home, but every once in a while, there would be some little force that would come up that unsettled him to his core.

Today that little force was Mina Poole.

How one girl could incite such frustration and uneasiness was beyond him. And the way those dark eyes of hers pierced straight through everyone and everything…straight through him...

He almost cringed to himself as he remembered his earlier slip-up. It had been a long while since something like that had happened. And worst of all he wasn't sure why it had happened. Maybe it was the because of the subject matter of their conversation, maybe it was because of her strangely familiar temperament...maybe it was because it was almost the dayhe had lost...

He mentally shook himself.

 _No, that can't be it...but still...what is with this girl?_ _Why is she so familiar?_

He bristled as he kept watch on her through the corner of his eye. She was currently eyeing the large botanic gardens greenhouse the front gates of which were open and waiting.

"It's so quiet" Mina breathed looking around the area.

"Too quiet" Batman nodded in agreement.

Since all the Asylum had been put in lockdown there was barley anyone out on the grounds, save for two guards standing far away at the doors to the penitentiary.

Mina turned back to the garden's gates, unsure whether or not the chill that crept up her spine was due to the cold autumn air or something else?

Batman, noticing her shiver was about to open his mouth only to be cut off when she glowered at him defiantly.

"Just shut up and keep moving!"

Batman didn't know whether or not to admire her stubbornness or to just snap back in response.

However the small cough of Alfred through the cowl's ear com-link was enough to keep him in check as he followed her inside.

Quickly both of them were flooded by warmth and faint green light, all of which was being filtered through the glass roof above.

The effect was such that it made the tall dark knight stand out starkly as he slid smoothly beside Mina through the dense greenery that surrounded them both.

"that's strange" Mina muttered after they had turned round a bend in their path. "I can't see any sign of Cash or his guys"

"I can" Batman growled as his vision turned to its blue detective vision. And sure enough, there in the corner of his eyesight was the residue of a muddy boot-print on the path ahead.

He quickly crouched beside it.

"Standard issue for security guards" he muttered to himself as his detective vision made to scan in the print. As soon as it was in, his computer was quick to find and analyze more boot prints leading some way ahead.

He was about to follow the path when a voice beside him grunted a little.

"Ugh"

He turned and saw the blue skeletal form of Mina in his detective vision, a hand pressed to her forehead as she wavered lightly where she stood. As she swayed a small piece of text popped up beside her revealing her physical state and the environment around him.

As quick as thinking he reached into his utility belt and pulled out a small gas mask which he quickly fixed to Mina's mouth.

"Take a deep breath"

"What-what's happening?" Mina gasped as fresh air filtered into her lungs.

"Carbon Monoxide Poisoning. Ivy's plants must have broken their way into the ventilation system" he growled doing his best not to open his mouth too much or take a breath.

But even now it was proving to be difficult. If his detective vision was correct then the levels of toxicity in the air had reached such a dangerous point, it would be a miracle if Cash and his men, let alone Doctor Kellerman, would still be alive.

"You-you take a breath" Mina coughed shoving his gas mask over his mouth.

Batman said nothing but was grateful for the air, which he inhaled quickly before muttering.

"I'll need to shut off the ventilation system to stop the gas from spreading."

"All ventilation is controlled by security close to the entrance" Mina coughed doing her best not to lose the clean air in her lungs. "We passed it on the way here. But it'll be locked from the inside"

"that shouldn't be a problem" Batman growled as he looked back in the direction they had both come. Sure enough there hidden in the corner he could see the barred off counter where the guard was slumped, a large green glowing button behind him in a corner from a box.

"Stay right here. And don't take that off" He hissed pressing the gas mask back to Mina's mouth, only to have her shove it back in his face.

"You take it." She gasped "You're gonna need it more than me. We're a bit far from the exit-Just go?" she snapped when it looked like he was about to argue.

Batman quickly shut his mouth and nodded. He waited for her to take a few deep breath of clean air before taking the mask from her carefully.

"Try to stay calm" he said quietly as his detective vision picked up her slightly distressed heart beat as she glowered at him.

"Try to hurry up"

He nodded quietly again, though this time he wasn't quite able to hide the tiniest of amused smirks, which quickly faded as he made to turn away from her.

_I only have a few minutes to stop the ventilation shafts before either one of us loses consciousness or worse._

As quietly as a shadow he crouched low and snuck his way back down the path towards the door to the security room which was of course locked.

His jaw clenched as he made to pull out his Cryptographic Sequencer from his belt, fingers working furiously over the two panels as the coded letters slid over the holographic screen.

_Come on…come on…_

He hissed in his head, fighting the slight blurring that was threatening to take over the edges of his vision as the first letter slid into face followed by nine more.

"GreenThumb"

There was a click and the door swung open inwards with a loud creak.

As quick as lightening he bolted through, battling the oncoming dizziness of his brain as he all but slammed his fist onto the ventilator's emergency power switch.

Meanwhile a little way away, Mina Poole's body sank to the ground, her mind slipping into darkness.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun-dun-duun! :0
> 
> i'll just leave you all there again.
> 
> yeah so that was chapter 4. much of it was based off the interview tapes with Poison Ivy from the game when she had lured doctor Kellerman away in Arkham Asylum. Hopefully i got the gist of Batman's gadgets right. I'm only using what i know from what i've played of the games. i know he probably wouldn't drag a civilian along with him (he'd probably just leave them waiting even when they're still in possible danger :P) but as you can see Mina's not quite a normal person. 
> 
> Anyways i hope you guys enjoyed, and keep reviewing for more if you like :)


	6. The Million Dollar Question

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Sometimes human places, create inhuman monsters.”   
> ― Stephen King, The Shining

_Take the respirator you said. You'll need it more you said…_

Mina Poole scowled up at the darkened ceiling as she lay back in the starched and excessively clean hospital bed.

She was in the Arkham Medical Center. Even in the dark she knew it from the smell alone. The smell…full of chemicals and sterilized metal much like any other hospital, but with a subtle hint of something foul in the air.

But then again there was always something foul in the air of Gotham, and it wasn't just the smoggy pollution.

There was something about this city that just did something to the people living in it, whether they had been born here or moved here recently. Like an ancient curse.

_Can't be any worse than my damn head…_

Mina grunted, the sound slightly metallic as it rattled from within the transparent respirator. She winced as her head throbbed a little bit more, making her almost sick. But she swallowed the bile down quickly and instead chose to look around the room.

Through a tall window above she could see that, night had fallen outside, dark clouds swirling ominously around a crescent moon.

As she looked up at it she couldn't help but wonder if she had been out for only a few hours or for a few days.

It certainly felt like she'd been knocked headfirst by a train.

_That'll teach me to play hero with the Dark Knight._

And speaking of the caped crusader, just what had happened after she blacked out?

_He probably found Kellerman…saved Cash and his men…_

She scowled as she tried to sit up in her bed only to wince as a voice that was not her own tutted from the darkness.

"Ah-ah-ah! I wouldn't try that if I were you Darling. You'd excite yourself too much…"

Mina froze eyes widening and heart hammering as a white gloved hand reached out and pushed her gently but firmly back into the medical bed.

"Who…who are you? What do you want?" she breathed, her voice raspy as she looked around for the owner of the limb as it retracted into the deep shadows.

"Oh nothing my dear. I just wanted to see how you were faring. You did almost get poisoned after all" the voice cooed, a masculine but eerily high pitched sound that was almost as smooth as a snake's poisonous hiss.

For some reason it felt very familiar, but she couldn't place where she'd heard it.

"Who are you?" she repeated her eyes travelling to a point beside her where she could vaguely make out a tall shadowy shape standing over her, a pair of eyes glinting faintly in whatever light was reflecting their way as it whispered.

"You mean…you haven't figured it out yet?...but I guess it has been rather long since…"

Mina blinked. Was it just her or did the voice sound…sad? But no sooner had she thought it then the voice coughed and snickered softly.

"Very well then. You may call me…Jack"

"Jack…right…Jack who?"

"Just Jack,  _Darling_ "

There it was again that word.

Darling…

"it was you…You sent me the box that night didn't you?" she whispered, vaguely aware of the sudden frantic beeping on the heart monitor beside her.

The stranger in the dark noticed it too, and chuckled softly.

"Ah-ha-ha! You are sharp aren't you? It's no wonder gold old Eddie can't shut up about you, but then again he always has been a sucker for beautiful women with brains…"

His chuckles turned into giggles, a high pitched grating sound, peculiar much like the rest of him (for she was only guessing the gender by the voice alone).

He was tall too, she reasoned as her eyes slowly but surely became accustomed to the darkness. He was tall and thin, the outline of his face angular and sharp.

She couldn't see his features, but she could tell by the tone of his voice alone that he was smiling as he reached out once more with his pale hand.

"it's just a pity you already belong to someone else…" his voice hissed smoothly into the darkness as a long pale bony finger traced her face.

"and…who's-" Mina gasped as something sharp and thin jabbed straight into her arm.

Her heart positively racing now she writhed like a snake, her legs thrashing and her arms flailing as she tried and failed to find the arm that held the syringe.

But by the time she was able to actually touch the limb it pulled away, the last drop of the drug it carried dripping onto the floor along with her eyelids.

She felt so heavy…so…tired…

_No, no I have to stay awake…I have to…_

But even as she tried to open her eyes she could feel her body all but melt into the bed below her as a voice cooed into her ear.

"Oh my darling, Oh my darling, oh my darling Clementine…"

* * *

"Master Bruce?"

"What is it Alfred?" the deep gravelly voice of Bruce Wayne growled, though the blue eyes did not waver from the screen he was watching where a woman with green skin and red hair was looking out from a mug shot.

"Master Bruce…" Alfred Pennyworth sighed heavily as he took away a mug of coffee from his charge's side. "I understand this case is befuddling even your mind but even Bats need their sleep"

"Ivy could've escaped" Bruce muttered softly fingers pressing together in thought as he glared hard at his screen. "But she didn't. She could've used her plants to kill Kellerman quickly too, but she left him alive…and then there's Marina Poole"

"Ah yes the perplexing miss Poole" Alfred quirked a brow sardonically "She is under oxygen treatment back at Arkham yes?"

Bruce nodded, his fingers clicking on the mouse to bring up her file, on which a loading bar was filling up rather slowly across the screen.

"A DNA analysis?"

"I took a blood sample when the doctors made to prep her for treatment" Bruce murmured eyeing the bar with narrowed eyes. "There's something about her I cannot figure out…something familiar…I remember suspecting it when I first found her on Halloween, but I couldn't be sure… till now…"

_It won't be long …_

His jaw clenched as the loading bar hit fifty percent.

_Then I'll know the truth…_

* * *

Edward Nygma, also known as the Riddler to his underlings and criminal peers, was a very intelligent man. And like all intelligent men, he was filled with a curiosity that was almost insatiable.

It gnawed at him day in and day out; chewing on his nerves, sucking on his very soul until he was finally able to grasp at the answer and squeeze it till it was wrung dry.

Indeed even now he could not help but glance eagerly out of the barred door of his cell as a tall dark shadow passed it, humming a tune softly into the darkness.

"Light she was and like a fairy, And her shoes were number nine, Herring boxes without topses, Sandals were for Clementine-"

"You seem very happy" Edward clucked his tongue and the figure stopped in his tracks. "I take it your meeting went well then?"

"Why yes, yes it did" the figure smirked in the darkness. "In fact better than I had hoped"

"So I was right then?" Edward's lips curled upwards, his green eyes glinting with victorious glee as he sat up in his cell bed. "She is the one you were looking for"

"Yes she was…though I will admit I almost did not recognize her."

"It has been nearly twelve years." Edward shrugged. "And if what you say is true then she has grown a lot since then-quite beautifully too-"

"Ah-ah-ah! Be careful of what you say Eddie" the figure tutted jovially, though Edward could hear the small hint of acid like venom lacing through the high voice like ink in water. "Grown up or no, she still is my little darling. And if you mess with my darling you mess with me too. And that goes for any fool in this mad-house"

"I take it you aren't too happy with our green thumbed temptress then?" Edward quirked an eyebrow above his purple lensed glasses as the figure before his bars door stiffened and grunted sardonically.

"However did you guess? But enough of that I will deal with her later. Right now I have a proposition for you?"

" _You_  have a proposition for  _me_?" Edward snorted, though his eyes quickly lit up with intrigue "boy, you must be desperate"

"I am not!" the voice snapped so fiercely that his riddling colleague flinched in his cell. The figure shook his head out. "Listen riddles, you and I both know you want out of here, and you and I both know that you are one of the few crackpots in here with enough brains to keep an eye on things when I'm gone."

"And let me guess, you want me to keep an eye on your  _darling?_ Me? The great Riddler?" Edward rolled his eyes as he flumped back on his bed "Sorry, but I've got my own plans that need taking care of-"

"Which I will happily do away with if you refuse to co-operate." The mysterious figure all but hissed into the darkness.

In spite of himself, Edward shuddered, though he was quick to hide it behind a scowl.

"Pff! What will you do if I don't co-operate? hmm? Throw your dumb little lackey at me? That stupid dolt couldn't even talk normal English let alone solve one of my riddles" Edward rolled his eyes, though he still could not help but stiffen a little under the scrutinizing gaze of his visitor. He sighed heavily.

"But if it really means that much to you I guess I will keep an eye on her. If you keep your word and get me out of here" He added quickly, his eyes following his visitor who was once again smirking wide.

"Oh Eddie, ye of little faith. Of course I will get you out of here, And since you're being such a good sport I believe I can also find a way to stash your precious little trophies you are so fond of"

"yes about that, I don't suppose you'd know anyone smart who'd be able to hide them well?" Edward sneered "Only a certain bat loves to  _cheat_  his way to get to them"

"I assure you Eddie I will put my best men onto the job" the strange visitor nodded, only to jump as a thud sounded from somewhere behind.

"You should get going" Edward hummed as he glanced down the corridor from his cell. "I don't think they'll take well to catching you out of bed again past curfew"

"Aww but I was having such fun" the stranger whined in mocking tones, but even so he was swift to start backing away from the cell door.

"Good night and Sleep tight," he hissed "try not to let the bed-Bats bite"

"Oh please as if they could down here" Edward rolled his eyes as he turned over in his bed, his visitor's footsteps slowly but surely fading out of hearing and into the darkness.

As soon as he was sure his visitor was gone, Edward chuckled softly to himself.

"Well miss Poole…it seems you and I will be seeing a lot more of one another from now on…"

_Very interesting indeed_

He mused as his eyes wandered up to the ceiling of his cell where a tiny camera looked down on him, red light winking through the dark.

* * *

"Well…this certainly was unexpected…"

A man's voice mused softly as it's owner leant back in a chair. He was a tall man, middle aged with a bald head and a beard and thick round glasses that shone in the light of the large computer screen that blazed before his eyes.

He barely flinched or moved an inch as a door behind him opened and a woman poked her head through.

"Doctor Strange?"

"Ah Doctor Young, what is the matter?" Doctor Strange quickly turned off his monitor and swiveled in his chair to face the newcomer, a woman in a long white coat with neat dark brown hair and bright blue eyes that looked nervous as she approached.

"nothing sir, I was just wondering if I could have a talk to you about the new Titan Project. I would have talked to Warden Sharp but he said I should talk to you, seeing as you are a fellow doctor and would probably understand it better"

"Of course you may talk to me Doctor. In fact I am honored that you would include me in such a revolutionary project."

"yes well, finding good minds to help with such research is as you know not easy" Doctor Young coughed as she tried to straighten up. "In fact, that was what I was wanting to talk to you about. You see I have finally managed to find Ba-I-I mean my potential Patient X. The only trouble is, I can't well…persuade him or his uh…guardians to let him take the trials…and if I can't get him for the trials then I won't be able to run the project and if I can't get this project to work then all my life's work will be down the drain and I'll be ruined and I'll…I'll…"

She trailed off her cheeks reddening as Strange eyed her thoughtfully and calmly, like a teacher pondering his favorite student's question in class.

"hmm…I see…that is troublesome news." But then suddenly he smiled "But I do believe I might have a solution for that"

"You…you do?" Young's eyes looked hopeful as she gazed up at him.

So naïvely hopeful…

"yes of course" Strange's smile widened, his eyes gleaming in triumph behind his glasses "You see I have a, for lack of a better word,  _associate_  or rather a very rich and powerful ex-patient if you will, who has helped me in many a difficult time in return for my help given to him. I haven't contacted him in a while, but I am sure he wouldn't mind it if I were to give him a call and ask for a little bit of help…"

"you would do that?" Young breathed softly her breath almost caught in her throat.

"Of course" Strange soothed "Anything for the noble pursuit of science"

"Thank you" Young's eyes were now so watery she looked like she could spill over like a fountain any second. "thank you, thank you, thank you! You don't know how much this means to me"

"Oh but I do, Miss Young" Strange smiled once more "more than you know. Now dry your eyes, you have a long day of work tomorrow"

"yes…yes you're right! Ah!" Young scrubbed furiously at her eyes. "Goodness look at me! I really am a wreak."

"You are just overworked" Strange corrected her, his voice slightly stern, like a parent talking to a child. "You need rest, but most of all you need help with your research. And I don't mean the monetary help. That the Asylum can easily provide. For now you need physical help, someone who can run around and focus on the menial tasks while you stay focused on the real research."

"Right…like an assistant" Young nodded.

"Or one of the interns. They're young and not too fussy about small jobs and they can be quickly trained. Just like that new little intern of doctor Kellerman." Strange suggested, oh-so-helpfully and was pleased to see Young's face light up as she snapped at the bait.

"Oh yes that's right. Mina Poole, but isn't she in the medical centre-"

"Her condition is fairly stable. It won't be long till she'll be able to work again" Strange snorted "and from what I'm told she's a bright little thing, tough, diligent and loyal. A perfect candidate to help you handle someone like your-ahem-patient X"

"I guess…" Young bit her lip, rubbing her chin thoughtfully "Only…hmm, only Kellerman's pretty attached to her already…and I don't want to poach another doctor's intern-"

"Poor old Stephen is in no condition to continue his work for a couple of months at best" Strange quickly coughed. "and Miss Poole is unlikely to find any other doctor in this institution that will give her quality work that will further educate her to the best of your abilities."

"Well…if you put it that way…" Young murmured softly, her eyes darting down as she thought long and hard. Though she loathed the idea of stealing another doctor's assistant (it was downright unprofessional), the idea of having someone to help carry the load was very tempting…

"I…I suppose he wouldn't mind me filling in for him while he recovers." She reasoned with a nod. "and then when he comes back she can go back to working for him like before. That way I haven't poached Kellerman's resources and the girl gets her education"

"Then it's settled then" Strange nodded firmly "I will speak with my associate, ask him for that favor and you can request Doctor Whistler to transfer Miss Poole to your department"

"yes, right. Thank you for all your help Doctor Strange" Young smiled as she extended her hand forwards to Strange who took it and shook it firmly.

"Anytime my dear. And if you need anything else feel free to ask. I assure you I will do what I can to help"

"Likewise…and once again thank you" and with her shoulders set straighter and head held higher, Doctor Young strolled out of the room, not noticing the sneer that crept over her colleagues face as she shut the door to his dark office.

"No my dear…it is I who should be thanking you" Doctor Strange muttered to the darkness as he turned back to his computer screen and switched it on.

At once his eyes were filled with the vision of a small private medical ward in which a young woman was resting with a respirator clamped over her mouth.

"Such a noble act." He purred "Helping the Batman save the day…"

_And yet we both know you don't really care about him or anyone else…_

He tapped his fingers on his bearded chin thoughtfully.

_If that's so then why does he care about you? And why does our dear friend_ _**Jack** _ _have such an interest in you?_

"Just what secrets are you hiding Miss Poole?"

_And why did you really come here to Arkham?_

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MUAAHAHAHAHAHAHAA! something is definitely brewing now...
> 
> but if you want to find out more you're gonna have to keep reviewing and reading ;)
> 
> See you next time


	7. A Sense of Security

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “One person's craziness is another person's reality.”   
> ― Tim Burton

To say Mina was relieved about getting discharged from Arkham Medical facility was an understatement.

The only thing that was preventing her from literally running out of her small private ward was the stern eyes of Doctor Gretchen Whistler who was currently standing beside her bed along with the much younger (and less threatening) form of Doctor Penelope Young.

"Miss Poole, whilst I understand you are very anxious to leave treatment there is one final procedure we need you to fulfil before you are completely discharged"

"A psycho-analysis test" Mina nodded quietly "Kellerman briefed me about the security protocols when I first got here"

"Good then we can get straight down to business" Whistler clipped and without waiting for Mina's say so, sat down in the chair beside the bed, followed quickly by Doctor Young, though she at least had the decency to act somewhat apologetic at the abruptness.

Mina however did not care for such pettiness. She just wanted out as quickly as possible and if that meant dealing with the old bat of a woman glaring her down then so be it.

Her eyes hardened on the tape recorder as Whistler all but crashed her finger down on the record button, her voice crisp and terse as she spoke to the room at large.

"Employee evaluation, 21st November, Intern's name, Marina Poole. Last week on November 17th Miss Poole was exposed to almost lethal levels of Carbon Monoxide poisoning whilst assisting in locating her mentor Doctor Kellerman, who was abducted and poisoned by Patient, Pamela Lillian Isley, also known as Poison Ivy. Now Miss Poole" Whistler addressed Mina with a hard stare "I understand from what the doctors tell me that you are not comfortable being under medical supervision"

"Being in a room stuck to medical equipment isn't exactly my cup of tea Doctor Whistler" Mina clipped calmly.

"One would think you'd be used to hospitals given both your parents occupations"

"True, though when I'm at hospital I'm usually by the bed and not in it. And I make it a habit not to stay too long."

"I see…" Whistler muttered though her lips pursed thoughtfully, her pen hovering tantalizingly close to her notes but barely touching at all. "It has come to my attention that you were with the vigilante Batman at the time you fell unconscious."

"Yes. He was investigating Stephen's disappearance"

"And you co-operated with him?" Whistler quirked a brow, her pen scratching at her notepad again. "Went with him into the greenhouse in spite of the danger you knew Ivy's plants would bring?"

"I wanted to make sure Stephen was okay. Plus I know the greenhouse like the back of my hand. If Ivy wanted to hide something or someone I would bet my left eye it would be there" Mina stated but Whistler continued her questioning as though she had not even heard the answer.

"-And according to the security footage he approached you in Stephen's office. Which brings me to my next question, why were you in Stephen's office when you were told to wait for news in the Staffroom?"

"I-I was worried" Mina replied quickly, making sure to pointedly glance around with "fear". "Stephen had left me no message since the night before…and from what Ivy had told the Warden I was worried she might have gone through his research and taken something when she was let out"

"And did she?" Whistler's eyes narrowed, though it was plain she was quite genuinely worried now.

"No…she didn't" Mina frowned this time not having to fake anything as her own thoughts consumed her "It was odd…Stephen had a whole heap of notes on a lot of hers and Crane's toxins and formulas. If any of those got into the wrong hands…well you can imagine how disastrous that would be"

"yes indeed I can" Whistler repeated scratching into the clipboard again. "Now if you wouldn't mind me asking…The Batman…it's not the first time you've met him is it?"

Mina shuddered in spite of herself, but she was quick to stifle it behind a small cough.

"No…it's not."

"And how many times have you met him?" a voice piped in.

It took Mina a couple of seconds to register that the voice belonged to Doctor Young, who was watching her with very poorly hidden intrigue as she too wrote down notes in her clipboard.

The sound was grating on Mina's nerves, but nonetheless it helped her regain focus and ask blankly:

"Why do you ask?"

If Doctor Young or Doctor Whistler were phased by her bluntness neither let it show.

_True professionals till the end_

Mina snorted mentally as Doctor Young made to probe again, this time using a slightly warier tone.

"Following the break out attempt, security showed us the footage of you and the Dark Knight engaging in conversation before you went to track down Stephen. From what we've been able to see and hear, you and him both appear to be rather familiar with one another. Which brings me to my next question Miss Poole, what is your connection with Batman, and for how long has it existed?"

_Well…this is it..._

Mina took a deep breath.

"Thirteen years ago Batman found me in one of Black Mask's illegal drug dens behind one of his clubs. Back then I was just a nameless street rat, part of the illegal child slave trade. Oh yes, Black Mask does do child slavery. In fact you could say that it was one of his more lucrative forms of backroom business, especially when it came to dealing out girls to his little… _massage_  parlors and  _recreational_  clubs-"

Mina added, barely holding back a small smirk when she saw both doctor's eyes widen in shock, though neither made any move to stop her storytelling.

"Anyways I'm not sure how or why, but by the time I was six years old, I was already sold off to a few of his lesser goons down who had set up shop in Park Row. I don't know or remember how long I was there for, but all I know was that it was on Halloween night, that Batman found me by accident when he came snooping about, and handed me over to GCPD. Soon after that I met my adoptive parents Robert and Emilia Poole in the children's ward at Gotham General."

"And that was the last you and the Batman saw of one another?" Doctor Young asked her voice quiet but breathless in her curiosity that was so intense she even forgot to write on her clipboard.

"Not quite" Mina shrugged "I caught a glimpse of him up close when he came to save my school from Firefly"-she rolled her eyes-"Only the fucking pyromaniac nearly burnt the entire hall down. Heck, if it hadn't been for Robin pushing me and the other kids out the doors we'd have been literally toast"

"So Robin saved you in that incident, not Batman?" Whistler snorted. "And Batman only saved you when you were a small child. That still doesn't explain why he seems to relate to you on such a personal level in the present day circumstances-"

"If you want to know why he's so interested in me then I'd suggest you ask him instead next time he comes here" Mina cut across the older woman firmly. "Because I have no clue either"

Both Whistler and Young exchanged nervous glances, the latter opening her mouth to speak.

But before any word could escape her mouth, the door to the ward opened and a voice called loudly.

"Ah and here is Doctor Whistler now. Doctor how are you!"

"Is there something I can help you with Warden Sharp?" Whistler clipped her voice so stern that both Mina and Doctor Young flinched as they turned to see the short stout figure of Warden Quincy Sharp bumble in accompanied by several Arkham Guards and a very tall strongly built man dressed in a suit.

He had a handsome face, Mina supposed, what with the strong jaw and the neatly combed dark hair, but something stopped her from being attracted to him quite quickly as she looked him over.

Something that felt oddly like recognition.

_I know those eyes…_

She stiffened as she stood to her feet along with her two senior colleagues.

_Where have I seen them before?_

They were a very deep blue, piercing and discerning as they locked with her own black orbs.

She barely heard the Warden's voice as he spluttered and smiled sheepishly under Whistler's steely face.

"Forgive the intrusion Doctor but we won't take up much of your time. This is Bruce Wayne, CEO of Wayne Enterprises. Mister Wayne this is our head Psychiatrist Doctor Gretchen Whistler, and our senior researcher Doctor Penelope Young."

"It's lovely to meet you Doctor Whistler, you as well Doctor Young" the man beside Sharp extended a hand towards the older woman who took it her cheeks going slightly pink as she shook it briefly, before it was offered to Doctor Young who promptly turned scarlet in the cheeks.

Then Bruce Wayne turned to Mina with a smile, though it did not quite meet his eyes even as he smoothly said in his deep voice:

"I'm sorry I don't think I got your name Miss-"

"Poole, Mina Poole" Mina shook his hand making sure to smile as sweetly as sugar as she gripped his hand in a brief but tight shake. "It's nice to meet you Mister Wayne."

"And what are you doing here in the medical center Miss Poole?" Bruce smiled oh-so-charmingly, but she could see the blue eyes give her a swift searching calculating look as they scanned her face.

She was stopped answering by Warden Sharp's excitable twitter by Bruce's elbow.

"Actually Mister Wayne, Miss Poole is one of our interns from Gotham University. She usually works in the Mansion or Intensive Treatment with her mentor Doctor Kellerman, who is unfortunately still recovering at Gotham General."

"Oh? How come?" Bruce asked.

"Poison Ivy tried to stage a break out" Mina replied before the annoyingly panicky Sharp could interrupt her again. "Doctor Kellerman was almost poisoned in the process. But if what I hear is true then she's back in her cell and Stephen should be making a good recovery soon. Thanks to the Batman of course" she added.

"Oh the Batman was here? Does he come often to the Asylum?" Bruce's eyes brightened a little with intrigue at Sharp who looked like he was torn between sinking back into the wall or wanting to strangle Mina, who only made to blink and shrug oh so innocently.

"Not often. Usually it's because one of the Rogues tries to escape or he's bringing them in. but enough about Batman, what brings you to Arkham Asylum Mister Wayne?"

"I came to check up on the progress being made here, at Arkham. I hear there are quite some amazing developments being made here, some of which I am quite interested contributing to with a donation."

_Ah…so that's why Sharpie is looking oh so nervous._

Mina snorted in her head, though on the outside her charming smile only widened sweetly as suger.

"Oh well that's very kind of you Mister Wayne."

"Indeed" Doctor Whistler clipped as she made to shut off the tape recorder by her chair.

"Well Miss Poole, it's plain to see that you are just fine. But just to be on the safe side I'd recommend you stay at home for the next three days so that you can fully have a chance of resting and relaxing before you come back to work."

"But I thought Stephen was going to be on leave till Feburary?" Mina asked though she thought she already knew the answer as Doctor Whistler's eyebrows rose.

"Yes he is, but until he's back you are being assigned to work with Doctor Young." She gestured to Doctor Young who gave Mina a small friendly smile "She will be taking on his patients and studies in addition to her own research, the details of which you will be briefed on upon your return. Now Mister Wayne and Mister Sharp, perhaps we should head to the doctor's office so we can continue our discussion. Come Doctor Young"

"It was nice meeting you Miss Poole" Bruce Wayne smiled as he reached out to shake her hand once more. "I do hope you make a speedy recovery. And all the best with your internship"

"Thank you Mister Wayne. I hope you enjoy your visit to the Asylum"

_And I hope I can get out of here without any more hiccups._

She added in her head as her three bosses and new acquaintance all made to walk out the door.

But before it could shut, Doctor Whistler poked her head back through and clipped:

"Oh yes and by the way Miss Poole, I would make sure to pass by security on the way out so you can collect the rest of your personal items before you leave"

"Of course, thank you doctor Whistler" Mina nodded her smile dropping as the door shut, leaving her completely alone.

"Damn hag" she muttered softly, her dark eyes darting to the corner of the private ward where a security camera was focusing on her.

_Perverted Bastards,_

She scowled as she turned her back on the lens and began to change out of her medical gown and back into her clothes, not noticing the small green dot blinking on the back of her black bra as she slipped it on.

She was quick with her clothes, which were the same ones from the day Kellerman had gone missing. A slim blue pencil skirt with a white long sleeved chiffon blouse that had a small but sweet necktie, and sheer stockings with simple black shoes. All had been washed dried and kept down in the laundry by the ever helpful staff, who were also kind enough to even keep her headband for her.

_Finally, now I can go home._

She smiled softly as she brought the thin black band over the top of her head, relief flooding her as the wisps of white blonde were brought away from her face.

As soon as she was done she poked her head out the door.

There was only a couple of orderlies around, but no patients and certainly no other doctors. That was good, she sighed with relief as she quietly stepped out into the hallway. Perhaps now she could finally get out of this damned place without anyone seeing her-

"Alice?"

* * *

Edward Nygma cringed a little as the bars of his isolated cell were abruptly tapped, the metallic ring echoing in the otherwise silent corridor.

"Is it done?" he snapped as he looked up from his book of riddles only to roll his eyes as he caught sight of a surly looking guard standing outside of his door.

"Yeah." the man grunted "I snuck the device on her bra when it was being taken out of the laundry."

"On her bra?" Edward quirked a lone brow in amusement as the guard turned a little pink in the face.

"Her shirt was white, she would have seen it"

"Wow, what do you know, the Neanderthal can actually use a couple of his pathetic brain cells after all" Edward snorted softly to himself before waving off the guard "Your payment should come in the next couple of days. Do try not to squander it all at once on whatever stupid things you dumb ignoramus's fancy"

The guard growled, but thankfully kept his mouth shut as he trudged off back to the lift at the end of the hallway.

Once he was out of sight, Edward quietly shifted his hand under his hard mattress and pulled out a thin tablet, his "gift" from one of the guards he had managed to bribe.

"Now let's see, the signal should be coming through" he mumbled to himself as he turned over on his cell's cot, using his back to block the device's light from the corridor outside.

If one of the not-so-corrupt guards caught him with any electronical device that had even only more than a meagre kilobyte of space on it he would be in solitary confinement faster than he could blink.

He smirked wide as the tablet finally loaded all the data and a home-screen came up, green with a purple question-mark flashing in the middle. He pressed the question mark and after quickly decrypting all the security measures his fingers were all but flying over the screen searching desperately for his loot.

He eventually found it, a red folder labelled "Persons of Interest". He flicked through it quickly, avoiding most of the other files which were all blue save for one that had a black bat icon (it took Edward all he had not to growl as it crossed his vision briefly), and one white colored folder labelled: Marina Poole.

Edward scowled as he skimmed over her rather empty file.

For all his skills in hacking or _digital stalking_  (as Scarecrow so kindly put it), the esteemed Riddler was finding it immensely difficult to find much information about the Asylum's newest enigmatic little intern.

Of course it was easy to find her _basic_  details like her address, bank statements, social security number and family ties, or rather foster family, but when it came down to gaging her online presence through social media or other websites there was very little to go on, and whatever information he found would quickly disappear the next day.

_Just like a little white rabbit leading me down a rabbit hole-oh listen to me. I'm almost sounding as delusional as Tetch! And speaking of delusional…_

He growled softly to himself as he tore his eyes away from the tablet to glance over his shoulder and to the cell opposite.

In it behind the bars, a small shadowy figure was curled on the bed, shivering and rocking itself as was muttering non-stop under his breath.

"Hey Zsasz" Edward snapped waspishly. "would you keep the racket down, some of us more intelligent lifeforms would like to be able to concentrate"

But if Victor Zsasz had even heard the Riddler, he did not seem to care, for he only continued to mumble, this time a little louder so that his criminal peer could hear him.

"The mark…the mark…must have the mark…the zombie…she escaped my liberation…she escaped-"

"Argh! Why do I even bother?"

But even as he tried his best to shut out the ungodly whisperings of his fellow madman in his ears, Edward's eyes wandered back to the files on his tablet, namely to the photograph on Mina Poole's Arkham Asylum profile.

Edward was not a man easily swayed from his intellectual endeavors, especially not by distractions of the feminine kind.

But even he had to admit this woman had something about her that was just too intriguing. Something in her face that was just too familiar, a strange resemblance to someone he thought he knew from a long time ago, though for the life of him he could not place to who it should be.

But  _he_ knew…HE, the one who called her darling, he knew who she really was…

_But does she know who she is? Now that really is a riddle…_

Edward frowned as he turned back to his tablet only to scowl as two pairs of heavy footsteps all but thundered to his door.

After quickly shutting off and stashing his tablet in his pillowcase, he turned over in time to see two burly brutes in guards uniforms standing just outside his cell door.

"Hey!" one of them spat as he opened the cell doors, his partner holding out a pair of handcuffs. "Time to go to your check-up, Freak!"

To any normal person this would have sounded threatening and frightening, but to the Riddler it was so boringly mundane that he sighed heavily.

"I get it, I get it. No need for the childish name calling, you worthless brutes" he added with a smirk as he got to his feet.

The cuffs they placed on him were a little too tight for his personal liking, but he supposed he'd have to make do till he got to his therapy session.

As he was shoved along the many underground corridors that connected the penitentiary and medical building, he quietly observed that the walls and floors were looking especially clean today, even the lights in the ceilings had been replaced so that they shone brightly without so much as a flicker.

_Sharp must have an important guest in today…besides moi of course_

He chuckled softly to himself, not heeding the disturbed glances of his guards as they shoved him through the security scanner. It was quick to flash green as it looked the villain over before the computerized voice announced the obvious result.

_Yeah, yeah, blah, blah, blah. Let's just get a move on boys._

Edward sighed as he was all but dragged up the stairs and onto the first floor landing…only to jump out of his skin as he heard a piercing shriek suddenly strike through his ears and straight into his brain.

"NO! NO! NO! ALICE COME BACK! NO! ALICE!"

"Oh great he's found another one" Edward rolled his eyes as both his guards rushed forwards into the scene unfolding before them.

There were two orderlies struggling with a short man with brown hair and a face that would have been kind, had it not currently been snarling at his captors who were trying to subdue him, and failing.

"LET ME GO! Let go of me you uncouth knave!" Jervis Tetch (aka The Mad Hatter) snarled elbowing one orderly hard in the ribs so that he could lunge forwards towards a slender feminine figure backing away from him.

"Why am I not surprised?" Edward Nygma snorted with amusement, only to wince as Jervis once again yelled at the top of his lungs.

"ALICE!"

"Get back quick!" one of the guards called out as Mina jumped back from Jervis's reaching fingers. However even as the guards rushed past her to subdue the madman, she tripped hard over her heels, only to land into someone in an orange jumpsuit.

"Careful Miss Poole. One might think you're desperate if you were to fling yourself at me. Not that I'd blame you of course." A voice sneered as a pair of cuffed hands helped steady her on her feet.

"Can it Nygma! If I wanted to talk to an egotistical asshole I would've called my ex" Mina grumbled as she straightened out her blouse.

Ignoring her brusqueness, Edward instead chose to look at the rest of her outfit, barley stifling a chuckle as he caught sight of the band of black peeking from her white blonde locks.

"My, my miss Poole you really are a magnet for trouble."

"So I've been told" Mina scowled folding her arms as she made to watch the Guards finally manage to get a hold of the small form of Jervis, who struggled as an orderly made to quickly dash back into the medical room.

"Riddle me this," Edward clucked with dry amusement "Long and slim, and a fearful sight, with just one pinch, and a painful bite. What am I?"

"A needle." Mina clipped though her brow was quick to furrow as she watched said medical instrument made to quickly slip into the back of the patient's neck.

"I take it you aren't too fond of them"

Mina quickly turned to see Edward fix her with a curious thoughtful look. She quirked a brow and scowled darkly.

"No. Why? Do you like being poked like a pin cushion?"

"Ah…hmm…touché" Edward grumbled only to flinch as someone smirked darkly from behind him.

"What's this Nygma? Admitting defeat in a battle of wits to a young girl. You must be losing your touch"

"And you must be losing yours if you're being so docile with the guards. What's the matter Crane? Too scared to fight back?" Edward snarled as he and Mina both turned just in time to see none other than Jonathan Crane, the Scarecrow, sneering at them as he was led by a group of guards, who were quick to rush to the help of their fellows who were crowded around the still struggling form of Jervis Tetch.

"Back to your antics Miss Poole?" Crane's eyebrow quirked upwards into his straw like mop of hair "I must say for one who just was poisoned a few days ago you certainly are quite a trouble maker"

To anyone who didn't know the bitter psychotic doctor the tone might have come across as playful. But Mina could see the hungry gleam of intrigue in those blue eyes that swept over her.

He was trying to bait her. Trying to make her already unsettled mask slip even more than it already had. Unfortunately for him she was not going to give him any satisfaction of succeeding.

And so it was with a very sweet polite charming smile that she replied:

"One of my many gifts Mister Crane. Now pray tell what are you doing here? I would have thought you'd not be having a session till Doctor Young received all Kellerman's notes from your sessions"

There was a pause in which Edward smirked smugly at his criminal contemporary in crime who blinked in puzzlement at the girl before him.

However his surprise was short lived and he scowled darkly.

"It's not a session, just a routine medical check-up for all those in C-Wing. Though it seems I might have to wait for a while. Tetch seems to have worked himself up into a frenzy again." He added sardonically as he eyed the now unconscious inmate who was being carried away on a stretcher to another ward by his two orderlies.

"The delusional fool…if he isn't ranting about his precious hats, it's always his Alice" Crane tutted under his breath and Edward nodded still smirking wickedly.

"Well, you can't exactly blame him this time" he chuckled pointedly jerking his head to Mina who's teeth gritted and fists clenched as Crane actually chuckled softly under his breath.

"I'm sorry gentlemen but I don't see what's so funny" She hissed, sweet façade forgotten as she scowled to the two inmates who only smirked down at her with amusement.

Edward especially was looking quite pleased with himself. Indeed he was grinning like a little wicked schoolboy about to put a spider on a teacher's chair.

"Really? Because we certainly do. What do you think Crane? Isn't our young friend just the spitting image of dear old Hatter's sweet little Alice?"

"Why yes…yes she does…Now Miss Poole-" but Crane stopped short at the sight of Mina's face.

Her cheeks had drained of whatever colour they had once had, her dark eyes were wide and staring…in fear.

Wonderful delicious fear.

He wondered, hopefully, if he had finally struck a nerve with her after all this time.

But something in his gut told him that he wasn't the case and so it was with slow cautiousness that both he and Edward turned to face where she was looking.

There standing in the doorway to another medical room between yet another set of guards was a thin man in an orange jumpsuit and a white straight-jacket.

He had pasty skin that was so pale that it was absolutely chalk white. The effect was such that it made the green hair on top of his thin head even more striking than was ordinary. But worst of all was the mouth. A thin pair of lips across which a thick long red line had been crudely smeared across in a permanent smile that gleamed in the light above the figure's head as he looked up to meet Mina's gaze.

Black eyes met vibrant green, and the red line across the jaw slipped open to reveal a grin of pure white teeth that flashed as a soft but high pitched whistle suddenly escaped them.

The tune was vaguely familiar, but nonetheless it set Mina's teeth on edge even as the whistles turned into hums.

"HEY!" a voice called out loudly and Mina almost jumped out of her skin.

"Cash?" she blinked as none other than Aaron Cash ran around the corner on the other end of the corridor along with a group of heavily armed guards.

As soon as they saw Mina standing in-between the Scarecrow and the Riddler, they were all quick to charge forwards.

In the wink of an eye Mina had been grabbed and shoved away from the two rogues who oddly enough, just rolled their eyes with shared exasperation at one another as they were both grabbed roughly and pushed against the wall.

"Cash to control, all rogues are secure and are headed back to their cells" Cash growled into his radio just as a seething Frank Boles, rounded on Mina.

"For Fuck's sake, you stupid bitch, what the hell were you doing? Why didn't you call for help or do something useful instead of standing there and flirting with the bastard scumbags?"

"Oh I don't know, because the last thing I want is to panic in front of the self-proclaimed  _Master of Fear._ " Mina snapped jabbing a finger hard into the aggressive man's shoulder  _"_ And for your information you pompous dick, I  _was_  doing something. It's called stalling for time until you can get your stupid ass moving to do your job properly."

"Why you little-"

"Boles! Back off!" Cash snapped as he stepped in-between his officer and the girl who smirked as Boles snarled down at her.

"Boles" Cash raised his sharp hook hand threateningly into the other man's face "When I say back off, I mean back off… _now_ "

There was a second in which the other man did look like he was going to fight back violently. But the next moment it was gone and with a small gruff grunt and a scowl, Boles trudged off to check on the status of his fellow guards.

"Boy kid," Cash quirked a brow at Mina as he lowered his hook "You really know how to pick your fights don't you? First Poison Ivy and now Boles? You really are a trouble magnet"

"Yeah, so I've heard" Mina grunted rolling her eyes. "But for what it's worth it makes for an interesting life"

"I'll bet" the older guard smirked, though his expression was quick to fall as she opened her mouth to murmur softly.

"He's been drinking again, hasn't he?"

"Yeah…but he's hiding the crap well this time" Cash shook his head.

"He probably gets hammered before he comes into work" Mina sighed, pinching her nose "Man…Sharpe must really be desperate to have to keep drunks and louts as guards"

"Kid you have no idea" Cash grunted patting her gently on the back of her shoulder. "Come on. Let's get you out of here before any of those scum get any more ideas"

"Who the doctors, the guards or the rogues?"

Cash smirked.

"Good question. Smith" he called loudly to the corridor at large "I'm going to drop her home, clean up this mess by the time I get back. And make sure those Rogue's are kept under a close watch. We don't want to take any chances"

"Yes sir" A tall dark man with a strong chinned face nodded dutifully before turning to the other guards.

"Come on" Cash gently nudged Mina by the shoulder with his hook. "Lets get you out of here"

"yes let's" Mina nodded fervently, quickly turning her back, though she could still see through the corner of her eye, the Joker still standing and staring at her from the other end of the corridor…his red painted lips curling upwards in a wide smile.

* * *

The Security Guards at Arkham Asylum were well known in Gotham for being some of the roughest, toughest and nastiest bastards money could buy.

A fact which the Riddler, Edward Nygma, and the Scarecrow, Jonathan Crane, could attest to quite readily as they were all but thrown back into their adjacent cells in C-Block penitentiary.

"Oww…" Edward groaned as he peeled his cheek from the smooth floor. "must those apes insist on trying to flatten my brain every time they touch me?"

"Considering the amount of times you insult their tiny pea sized-minds, yes, they do feel somewhat entitled to, in layman's words,  _teach you a lesson_ " Crane grunted as he nursed his bony elbow, which was now sporting a magnificent hand shaped bruise.

"Those brutes" the ex-doctor tutted as he looked over the mark "Had they gripped any harder they might have broken my arm"

"tch! A broken arm" Edward scoffed "that's nothing in comparison to what's going to come tonight"

There was a silence from the other side of the wall, but Edward was sure that his neighbor's face had gone pale.

Indeed when Crane spoke, his voice was slightly strained.

"Ah…yes…the Bat. I forgot he likes to pop in for a late night visit after an  _event_ "

"Well if I were you I'd better stay on my guard tonight" Edward grunted as he hoisted himself onto his hard bed cot "The King Thug's been more and more antsy since Ivy's stunt. According to my sources he's been making regular trips to the Mansion at night in-between the shifts"

"Hmm…Usually after a break out attempt he'd keep an eye on the penitentiary…but instead he's going to the mansion…now that is odd" Crane mused softly, more to himself than to Edward who smirked smugly.

"Not it's not really. My sources also tell me that he's visiting a certain little Alice's office"

"Ah I see…well that makes more sense…" Crane nodded, his thin lips quirking ever so slightly upwards. "So…He sees it too…"

"Sees what?" Edward's eyes narrowed with dangerous suspicion.

Crane just chuckled.

"Oh Edward don't tell me you haven't noticed it yet?"

"Notices what?" Edward snapped, with just a hint of desperation leaking through, much to his fellow rogue's amusement.

"The lack of empathy, lack of remorse, impulsiveness, reckless disregard for safety, a deceitful mask…a failure to conform with social norms-"

"Yes, yes! I know the kid's a Psychopath!" Edward rolled his eyes, though inwardly he sighed with relief.

Crane just sniffed waspishly.

"I do believe the correct term is Antisocial Personality Disorder."

"I know that!" Edward snarled, though he was glad there was a wall between them because his cheeks had gone red. "Pff! Whatever! The point is, the girl has got Batman's attention now. That means she's obviously valuable in some way, though what for…is still a mystery"

"Ah…" Crane's lips curled "and let me guess, you want me to stay right out of your way do you?"

"Something along those lines yes" Edward smirked slyly. "Or at least I don't want you gassing her to insanity just yet."

"A pity" Crane's smirk widened "I really was looking forward to questioning her about her little run in with Joker. I'd never have thought her to be the type to have Coulrophobia"

"Crane, I wouldn't be surprised if half of Gotham had a fear of clowns by now" Edward snorted. "But the true enigma of this mystery is not what she has…but why she has it!"

"Why indeed…" And with that Crane's murmur fell away into silence, leaving both super villains only their thoughts for company as they sat in their cells…and waited.

* * *

Mina's journey home had been uneventful for the most part. Most of it was spent talking to Cash about what had happened the day Ivy had kidnapped Kellerman.

Apparently whilst Mina had been struggling to breathe, Cash and his men had been held captive in one of the greenhouse rooms, fighting off the Rogue's mutant plants until Batman had arrived to save them.

Fortunately, none of the guards had really been hurt in the struggle so many of them were allowed to go home that very day.

_But why didn't she just poison them like she tried with Batman and I?_

Mina thought as she curled on her couch, mug of coffee in one hand, eyes barely focusing on the bright Television screen in front of her as she sat in the dark apartment.

_Why not poison us all and get rid of us? I mean Batman is her enemy so poisoning him makes sense. But why not Cash or the guards?_

"You should be resting" a deep gravelly voice suddenly spoke from behind her back.

"Seriously, don't you ever use a door?" Mina rolled her eyes as she turned round in her seat to face the dark silhouette of the Dark Knight, whose white eye slits narrowed dangerously as they met her own.

"Why do Crane and Nygma both have a sudden interest in you?" he clipped as he towered over her.

"Because they're psychotic nut-jobs who probably haven't gotten laid by a woman in a long time" Mina scowled. "Seriously though, I don't have a clue why they're so interested in me. And speaking of interest why the hell are you continuing to stalk me? I already told you I was not going to investigate any further"

"I know. But that's not why I'm here."

"Then why are you here?"

There was a pause where Mina was sure she saw the Batman shift uncomfortably on his feet. But he was quick to mask it with a soft growl.

"Wouldn't you like to know"

But even as he spoke…it sounded a little off. In fact was it just her or could she hear a small giggle escape from under the cowl.

Warning siren's suddenly blaring in her head, she jumped to her feet and snarled.

"Who the fuck are you? What do you want?"

There was no mistaking it now, the giggles coming beneath the cowl were loud and piercing as the dark horned figure suddenly doubled over and flipped back up straight.

But instead of a black cowl, there was only a white painted face with green hair, grinning manically with a red smile.

"I want you…Darling"

* * *

Mina's eyes flew open with a gasp as she sprung up to sit.

It was dark all about her. Nighttime had long since fallen about her and she seemed to still be on her couch.

Though that didn't help her mood much.

"What the fuck was that?" she grumbled, wiping her sweaty brow as she tremulously hopped onto her feet.

They were shaking badly, as was the rest of her as she made her way over to her dining table and flopped in front of her unfinished bowl of cold pasta.

She ate it quietly, not caring for it's temperature, or it's odd feel or taste. What her mind needed right now wasn't sustenance, but distraction from-

She paused in between a mouthful as something red caught her eye from the centre of the table.

_Hmmm what the-_

There was a loud clang as metal fell onto smooth wooden floor.

But Mina barely heard it.

All her attention was set upon the vase of red roses that stood there in front of her, a note dangling from one of the green stems.

A note written with a crude hand and red ink:

_Get well soon,_

_Darling._

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun-dun-DUUN! So that's chapter 6 up.
> 
> a bit more Scarecrow and Riddler talking. they're probably a bit casual, but i'd think that after so many years of being incarcerated together at the same institution they'd probably be quite comfortable around each other to at least hold civil conversation.
> 
> I hope i got Jervis Tetch right. i just played his side quest in arkham city and boy it was creepy (shudders). God Batman in that rabbit mask is like the weirdest sight ever.
> 
> Anyways keep reading and reviewing for more


	8. Dealing with Devils

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Finally, he can see me for who I really am. Violent. Distrustful. Manipulative. Deadly. And I hate him for it.”  
> ― Suzanne Collins, Mockingjay

"The mark…must have the mark-"

"The time has come, The walrus said, To talk of many things: Of shoes- and ships-"

"-must cut…my knife into her flesh-"

"-And sealing wax-Of cabbages and kings-And why the sae is boiling hot-And whether pigs have wings."

_Agh! Would they just shut up for one moment?!_

It took all Edward Nygma had in him not to fling the book in his hands into the door of his cell.

But even if he had it probably wouldn't have made a difference. After all getting a peaceful night's rest in Arkham Asylum's penitentiary was just as laughable as the stupid people that had placed him in it.

He marveled at how his neighbor Crane could even get a wink of sleep in that night even with the sounds of the crazed inmates ramblings…

…and the sounds of heavy footfalls striding down the corridor.

A shadow fell over Edward's cell and he let his eyes wander upwards, a small scathing snarl playing on his lips.

"Riddle me this. What's big, black, brutish and  _cheats_ at everything-"

"I didn't come here to listen to your crap Riddler" Batman growled softly, eyes narrowing in the cowl. "Mina Poole-"

"Ah yes the  _lovely_  miss Poole-" Edward smirked, enjoying the way his adversary's fists clenched ever so slightly "quite the rare little gem old Sharp's gone and found himself. Such a pity he can't appreciate her true worth-"

"You seem to have an interest in her" Batman snapped through gritted teeth "As does Crane and a lot of the other inmates. Why?"

"You're the  _detective_ , you tell me" Edward quirked a smug brow, struggling madly with his mind as it began hissing with glee at his adversary's confusion.

Not that Batman would give him the satisfaction of admitting it, but you can't have everything.

Indeed the Dark Knight himself was most calm as he made to continue his questioning.

"You've never let another person of equal intelligence live so long without continuing to challenge them. So what makes her so special?"

"Isn't it painfully  _obvious?_  Your sweet little psychopath is a valuable commodity, especially considering her pedigree. Oh yes I know exactly  _who_  she is" Edward sneered as the Caped Crusader stiffened in his spot "You could say that I've known it for quite some time."

"Then you'll know who will be the first one to feed you to the fishes if you put one hair of hers out of place"

There was a small pause as the Riddler's green eyes caught the white slits of the cowl. With a heavy sigh he swung his legs over the side of his cot and in one swift movement was standing before the Dark Knight, a wide smug smirk spreading over his face.

"My, my…somebody woke up on the wrong side of the cave tonight. Riddle me this Batman…Why should I be afraid of a threat you are never going to carry-"

"It's not me you should be afraid of Nygma" Batman glared as he stood toe to toe with the glass so that his shadow seemed to blot out all light into the cell.

Had Edward been an ordinary poor soul that had never once met the Batman, he might have been cowering and trembling in fear by now. But he was no common fool, and as he stood, not fear, but offence and rage bubbled in his gut. Rage that was beginning to bubble past the mask of his face.

"Though it may be too difficult for your  _tiny_  brain to comprehend  _Batman_ ,"- he spat, green eyes flashing from behind his glasses - "I do have my standards; standards which are probably ten times higher than yours when it comes down to keeping my word. And I gave my word I would not let the little brat come to harm."

"Why? What did he threaten you with?"

"Threaten?! Threaten?! You honestly think that I, the Riddler, would stoop so low that I would allow myself to be threatened into submission? HA!" the Riddler barked, his voice was hollow and his sneer scathing as he stepped to the glass.

When the super-villain spoke, his voice was soft and measured so that the Dark Knight could only hear him thanks' to the sensitive earpieces in his cowl.

"Kings and Queens may cling to power, and the Jesters got his call. But as you may discover the common one out ranks them all. What am I?"

The answer was obvious, and Batman had heard it before, though it took him a small (and infuriating) moment to apply it to the context. When he did though, the Riddler wasn't disappointed to see his fists clench ever so slightly by his side and his teeth grit in his strong jaw.

"That's right you big stupid brute" Edward smirked, his voice smoother than a serpent's hiss "now you see. That other crazy lunatic may have the power for now, but there will always come a time when he will fall, and when he does I'm going to make sure I have  _all_  the best cards in my hand to take his place"

"You're making a big mistake Nygma-" Batman's eyes narrowed to slits "-Mina Poole is not like the others he's taken for his own. He won't let you or anyone else get her that easily-"

"Neither would you it seems" Edward's lip curled with satisfaction as his nemesis's posture stiffened. "But no matter, it wouldn't be fun if it were easy. And I am brilliant, so I will get what I want. I always do."

"Not if I have anything to say about it" Batman growled, and with a swish of the dark cape he turned on his heel and stalked back into the darkness of the corridor, leaving the Riddler to smirk in his cell.

"Let the games begin Dark Knight"

* * *

 

Two days…two days of barely any sleep at all.

_So much for getting rest at home_

Mina sighed to herself as she checked her reflection in her bathroom mirror. Her dark eyes looked even darker than ever against her pale skin which had taken on a slight greyish tinge.

"Gotta sleep tonight. No exceptions" she muttered darkly to herself as she scrubbed the towel yet again over her already slightly damp hair, not to get it dry, but just to keep her hands busy.

_And speaking of busy…_

She rolled her eyes as her landline rang…again.

"Geeze Mum, I already called you an hour ago" Mina growled as she picked up the device and all but stabbed the call button with her finger.

"What?" she snapped irritably into the receiver, only to groan as she heard the sounds of heavy breathing on the other end of the line.

"Oh for the love of-why me?!" she mouthed silently to herself, her free hand flying up to grip hard at her pale scalp. "How do these fucking assholes find me?"

But as her finger made to hover over the red 'end call' button, the voice of a man chuckled into her ear through the receiver.

_"_ _Hmmm…Now that's not a very nice thing to say, is it Darling."_

Mina almost dropped the phone, her pale face as white as snow.

That voice…that goddamn familiar but eerily high pitched voice...

"…Jack…" she breathed and felt her skin crawl as a giggle answered her on the other end.

" _You were expecting maybe Two-Face? Or perhaps the Batman_ " Jack sneered softly from his end " _I heard you and him got into a bit of a pickle the other day with dear Poison Ivy-oh and speaking of plants how did you like the flowers? They're red and sweet just like you always liked-_ "

"and how would  _you_  know what  _I_ like?" Mina snarled through gritted teeth, her hand so tight around the telephone that she was sure the device would break in her grip.

Meanwhile on the other end Jack's gave a loud whiny simper.

" _Aww, so you didn't like the flowers?"_

"Oh for the love of-Listen here creep. I don't know who you are or what your game is and I don't care if you keep sending me flowers or the goddamn moon, but if you don't fuck off I will personally make sure you get your head shoved up your ass. Are we clear? Good! Goodnight and Good RIDDANCE!"

And before Jack could get another word in she slammed the phone back onto its dock, the beep of the hang-up resonating satisfyingly in her ears as she flopped down into her bed.

"Finally" she grunted as her damp head finally hit the pillow, only to frown as she heard the softest of clicks echo in the darkness of her bedroom.

"Oh fucking hell not you too!" she groaned in exasperation as the familiar dark shadowy figure decked out in a cape and cowl stepped into view at the foot of her bed.

"You shouldn't have done that" Batman growled, white eye lenses now narrowed into slits that seemed to glow blue in the dark. "Now he'll be even more determined to get to you"

"You think I care a damn?" Mina grunted as she sidled under her covers. "It's half past midnight and I've not slept a wink all week thanks to that ass. He owes me big time on sleep"

"You think he cares about that" Batman barked and was scathingly pleased to see the girl actually jump a little at the bite in his tones "Do you honestly think his kind care about your wellbeing enough to let you have a goodnight's sleep, let alone whether you live or die-"

"And yet…He still hasn't killed me" Mina rolled her eyes again feeling the muscles and tendons around them almost ache with the pressure of keeping her eyelids open "What does that tell you oh Great Detective?"

She paused to watch as Batman opened his mouth and shut it hastily, his jaw stiff as he pondered her words.

When he spoke his voice was a dark soft murmur.

"You're stringing him along…baiting him to keep chasing you…"

"I'm keeping myself alive" she hissed, her dark eyes boring into his cowl's white lenses as she lounged languidly back into her pillow "He wants something from me. And the longer I keep it from him, the longer I have to live before he takes what I have and throws me in the harbor"

"You're playing with fire Mina" Batman growled low, but there was an tinge of urgency to his voice that made Mina actually smirk a little with derisive satisfaction.

"What? Don't tell me the Big Bad Bat is actually afraid of a little psycho?" she purred, eyeing the clenching fists by the caped crusader's sides.

"You laugh now but there is nothing funny about the attentions of an Arkham Inmate"

"And let me guess, you think you can protect me?" Mina snorted her fingers absently twirling into her pale locks "You barely manage to stay alive whenever you bring in a rogue. And don't bother denying it because I can see you limping on that leg of yours" she added smugly as said vigilante stopped in his tracks. "Let me guess? A bullet wound from your run in with Penguin last night."

"That has nothing to do with who you've got tailing you-"

"And who I've got tailing me is none of your concern" Mina clipped "If I die then I die. And no matter how much you try Batman, you can't save everyone…not after what you've done"

"And what have I done?"

If Batman thought Mina looked furious before, it was nothing compared to the fierce dark piercing glare she delivered as she sat up and reached for her bedside drawer.

"You donned that fucking cape that's what" she hissed "And when you did…everything came crashing down into hell. The crime wars with the Falcone's and the Maroni's were bad enough as it stood. But then you had to come in and fuck them over, rattle cages, and then to top it all off you opened pandora's box and let loose all the fucking costumed freaks that we now keep locked up in the Asylum where they build up and boil over like a powder keg that's about to explode. And let me tell you about powder kegs, when they go off they tend to hurt a lot of people…"

Batman said nothing as he watched the girl's black eyes glimmer faintly in the dark a strange wet seeming to fall over them as she murmured softly:

"Not that you'd care about them"

"…What are-"

But even as Batman dared to blink, there was a click and the barrel of a small pistol was being pointed at his face.

"Get out"

"Mina-"

"I said  _get out_!" that one pale slender finger had on the trigger was so taut that it was a miracle it wasn't being pulled. Not that it would have hit. Batman knew he could dodge or even disarm her before she could take the shot.

But something in her face stopped him in his tracks, something in his eyes that made Mina's gut burn.

There it was again, that infuriating recognition people seemed to be looking at her with these days. The Arkham inmates, the guards and now Batman too it seemed…

The thought was enough to make her shudder, though she hid it well as she kept her gun tracing his movements as he slid back into the shadows and out of her bedroom window.

As soon the dark knight had leapt from the ledge, she rushed forwards and closed the glass pane tight, all the while muttering curses after curses under her breath before finally falling back into bed and crawling under the covers.

She was so exhausted that even as her head hit the pillow, she didn't notice the faint glimmer of red peeking out from the rooftop of the apartment building opposite her, nor the dark figure that sat behind the shadow a rifle and snort:

"Hmph! Well aren't you a feisty one"

* * *

 

"Ah welcome back master Bruce. Master Tim is waiting for you in the-Master Bruce is there something-"

There was a loud thud as a black gloved fist slammed into a wall.

"Master Bruce!" Alfred Pennyworth's eyes widened in shock as his charge's hand pulled away from the small crater in the plaster.

Meanwhile behind the old butler a young man was watching. He had very short brown hair shaved into a buzz cut, and was wearing a red and black suit, yellow utility belt and a black cape with the hood pulled down to reveal his strong but nervous, black masked face, that was currently staring in shock at his mentor..

"Oh crap he's pissed" the boy muttered as Batman finally straightened himself up to his fullest height, shaking his head out and muttering darkly beneath his breath as he took off his cowl.

"That damned girl-what the hell is she thinking?"

The young man quirked an eye at Alfred who sighed as he made to hand a mug of coffee to him.

"He is referring to Miss Mina Poole, Master Tim"

"Oh right, that creepy chick from Arkham" Tim snorted only to flinch a little as Bruce's blue eyes narrowed dangerously at him.

"That creepy chick as you call her just blew off one of the most dangerous madmen in Arkham Asylum, and then aimed a loaded gun at my face"

"Wow…" Tim whistled though he couldn't help but smirk a little "And here I thought the inmates were the crazy ones-"

"I must agree with Master Tim. From what we've seen the girl hardly seems stable" Alfred snorted sardonically as he made to pour a cup of coffee for Bruce who took it, his brow settled into a frown of frustration as he loaded a sound file.

At once the sound of a woman's deep voice echoed throughout the Batcave, making the small bats on the ceiling squeak as she sneered:

_"_ _Listen here creep. I don't know who you are or what your game is and I don't care if you keep sending me flowers or the goddamn moon, but if you don't fuck off I will personally make sure you get your head shoved up your ass-"_

"Ouch…remind me not to get on her bad side" and in spite of himself Tim shuddered.

"It's just a mask" Bruce grunted through a sip as he paused the recording "She's acting tough to throw everyone else off"

"And you figure this how?" Tim grunted and was not disappointed when Bruce fixed him with another famous piercing stare.

"I monitored her condition through Detective Vision. Her heart rate was through the roof when he called her. It only calmed down after I left her alone. Whatever is going on and however she may act in public, Mina is truly terrified of what is going on…she has been all this time"

"What do you mean all this time? You've met her before." Tim glanced between Bruce and then to Alfred who sighed softly.

"Master Bruce once saved Miss Poole thirteen years ago from Black Mask's child smuggling ring when she was six years old. Since then we have reason to believe that Miss Poole has been working hard to find out about her past and how she came to be in such a situation, seeing as she has no memory of events prior to her rescue"

"Events which see seems to think I might be responsible for" Bruce growled, gripping his mug of coffee hard in his hands. "She said it before she pointed the gun. She said that if it hadn't been for me donning the cape then things  _'wouldn't have gone to hell'_ and that none of the  _'costumed freaks'_  would exist"

"Well that's just bullshit!" Tim rolled his eyes "half of those crazies would have probably still ended up in Arkham. Yeah, sure their gimmicks would be different but still-"

"Are you so sure about that?" Bruce cut across his protégé firmly "Could you say for certain that  _any_  of the Rogues would have existed if it hadn't been for the Batman changing the playing field"

There was a silence in which Tim opened and shut his mouth several times.

When he finally seemed to find his voice, it was a soft but irritable murmur.

"No…I guess not. But still-" –and at this he ignored his mentor's deepening scowl - "- most of those crazies are all just as equally responsible for their actions, whether you were involved with them or not. And nobody, not even this chick can deny that"

Bruce didn't respond at once. Instead he just turned away in his chair to type at the Bat-computer, eyes narrowing on each of the keys as he pressed them.

"All past grievances aside" he growled after a minute of perusing files "This girl has just painted a huge target on her own head for every inmate at that asylum to aim at. She needs protection, not just for her sake, but for the sake of others safety, because I don't doubt she'll even care who gets stuck in the crossfire when shit goes down"

"Pff. Only too true" Tim grunted.

Alfred however stayed silent, his wrinkled brow furrowing slightly much to Bruce's confusion.

"Alfred?"

"forgive me sir" the old butler sighed sadly as he fixed his gaze on the video stilled on the young woman's face as she aimed a gun to the camera "I just think it's a pity that someone as brilliant and gifted as that child could become something so cold and ruthless"

And indeed as both Batman and Robin turned to look to the girl's stilled face, all they could focus on were those cold and merciless dark eyes.

Eyes they had seen one too many times in this city.

The eyes of a killer.

* * *

 

To say that Mina was happy to get back to work at Arkham Asylum was an understatement.

She was so ecstatic that the corners of her mouth were actually set permanently upwards in a genuine small smirk (a rarity in its own right) as she began to familiarize herself with Doctor Young's private laboratory in the Arkham Asylum's Greenhouse

Unlike Kellerman's labs in the Medical Centre, this lab was much larger and filled with far better equipment most of which Mina was just itching to get her hands on. It seemed as if being one of the leading researchers at Arkham had its perks.

Mina was just about settling all the paper work of Scarecrow and Poison Ivy onto her new bosses desk when Doctor Young herself came in her face flustered and scowling.

"I swear that ass. If I've told him once I've told him a thousand times"

"Bad morning huh?" Mina smirked and Young groaned.

"You don't know the half of it. Nygma's always been an… _energetic_  person," her scowl deepened irritably "but today he's just being absolutely insufferable. He's just been caught painting another one of his insane riddles onto the walls of his cell. I told the guards not to let him anywhere near any paints or any form of writing implement unless he and I are in a supervised session."

_That's what you get for trusting the guards_

Mina snorted inside her head but out loud she only tilted her head curiously and asked.

"What was the riddle?"

"Oh just some of Edward's usual gibberish!" Young rolled her eyes. "It said: ' _Made in Gotham. A shadow she is. Reckless and headstrong. Individual and unique. Not scared is she by the crow. An enigma she is. Pure darkness is her eyes. Orbs of secrets they are. Only one secret she still knows not. Long has she desired the answer. Ever more will she search for it unless_...' That's where he ends it."

Doctor Young sighed heavily into her hand.

"He usually doesn't pull these sorts of stunts unless there will be a break out soon. And that's unlikely to happen for a while because security has been cranked up after the incident with Ivy. I honestly don't know what's got him so riled up"

"Yeah I wonder" Mina snorted under her breath the smile on her face slowly vanishing as her eyes burned with sudden fire onto the page she had into her hand.

If Young noticed her sudden drop in mood she did not comment, but only made her way over to start analyzing spore samples on a nearby table.

Mina meanwhile finished her paperwork and quickly and quietly as she dared, began to write down Nygma's Riddle in her little black notebook, her eyes widening as the puzzle began to slowly unravel before her eyes.

_No…wait…just have to make sure…_

She frowned as she quietly and carefully took one of Poison Ivy's files and slid it over her notebook so that all but the first letters of each riddle line.

The corners of Mina's lips curled.

_Wow…Only my first day back and already things are getting interesting._

Edward Nygma paced the up and down his cell, tongue flicking over his lips every few seconds, one of the many ticks he got when anxious-no-excited.

_I wonder if she's got it yet…Oh of course she has. That imbecile Young wouldn't miss the chance to complain about me to her new lackey. Not that I see why she must view me in such a negative light…_

There was the sound of a heavy door being opened down the corridor and the guards around it shuffling, their voices low and bored as they addressed the newcomer.

"Name?"

"Mina Poole" a young woman clipped irritably.

"and your position sweetheart?" a second guard leered

_Not on top of you that's for sure…_

Mina rolled her eyes as both the guards' licentious gazes roamed over her body which was garbed in a simple but slender white chiffon blouse and tight black pencil skirt. Why did she always have to run into the seedy guards?

But whatever irritation she felt she was quick to hide as she felt another pair of eyes turn in her direction from behind a nearby cell door.

"I'm Doctor Young's assistant. I've been asked to check on her patient Edward Nygma and supervise him till Cash comes to drop him off to his one on one. Don't worry, I don't think he should be long."

At the mention of Cash's name both the guards stiffened and bristled uncomfortably where they stood.

"Oh…well if that's the case, carry on" one of the guards coughed and quickly stood aside for Mina to sidle through doing her best to avoid touching either man as they tried to get a peek of her behind, which was quick to sashay over to stand before Edward's cell.

In spite of the usual stern frown she sent his way Edward couldn't help but smirk as he languidly leaned his tall lanky form against the bars.

"So…I take it you got my message?"

"Pretty hard not to, considering it was blaring in my face like a neon billboard" Mina quirked a brow. "Though I have to ask why would you want to help me of all people?"

"Ah but I've got an even better question Miss Poole" Edward grinned, stooping his head down so that his nose poked through the bars right up close in her face. "Why wouldn't I want to help you?"

Mina's black eyes narrowed dangerously, their small dark pupils almost indiscernible from the even darker irises as she whispered softly.

"Because I've met your type before. You wouldn't want to help me unless you had something to gain from it. Something so valuable that you need me to get it for you."

"Ohh…well aren't you a clever girl" Edward purred softly, but Mina could see the flash of anger in his green eyes. With just a few words she had taken his power from him, left him to scramble for a new shield to hide behind.

And boy was he quick to find it, and cover up his mistake with a small cough.

"But enough of small talk. Held by arms yet can bear arms. Wounded with iron, yet can be wrought by a blacksmith. A wall one minute yet a weapon the next. What am I?"

"A shield" Mina answered almost without thinking, only to frown. "but why-"

"I said before you were more intelligent than the rest my little-conundrum, but please don't disappoint me now" Edward hissed, pushing himself even further into her personal space, much to her irritation.

"I don't plan to. But I still don't see why it would benefit you to be my shield here in Arkham? I've barely been here a month or so and as far as I know I don't hold any real information of value"

"true. True" Edward nodded. "But in this rare instance information is not what I had in mind."

"Then what do you want?" Mina scowled and Edward smiled and clucked his tongue.

"Oh nothing much, just a little friendly conversation here and there, some riddle solving that sort of thing-"

"I beg your pardon-"

"- that I believe those so called  _normal_  idiots of society call socializing. Normally I could do without companionship, but in more recent days I feel myself becoming bored…idle...there is only so much what you might say 'evil plotting' one can do in Arkham before they break out. And I have broken out of this facility so many times that I could think of an escape route and a new riddle before my first dinner back."

"You don't get to socialize with the other Rogues?" Mina murmured curiosity getting the better of her as the Riddler sighed heavily.

"Oh we socialize all right. If by socialize you mean we compare notes on that cheat Batman, boast and fight about our various accomplishments (of which I have many if I should say so myself), and occasionally collaborate on ideas and theories. But the doctor's here think it's unhealthy and dangerous to allow us Rogues too long periods close together so those times are few and far between-"

"And let me guess-" Mina's face suddenly split into a very wide smirk. "They've suggested that you to try and establish a normal  _healthy_ connection with someone to help as part of your treatment"

"In essence yes I suppose they have." Edward shrugged, but he was quick to grimace "Of course Young has been hinting that I try to socialize with other men rather than you womenfolk -"

"Because of Harley Quinn?"

"Pff! That dimwit" Edward almost gagged in disgust "I don't know how Joker can even stand being in the same room as her. She was an insufferable twit before but ever since he brainwashed her she can barely do anything without prostrating herself at his feet like a doormat"

"Oh please as if you wouldn't want a woman waiting on you hand and foot" Mina snorted, much to Edward's amusement.

"I admit the thought has crossed my mind a few times…but between you and me I've always preferred my women with a few more brain cells and common sense."

"So do I for that matter" Mina smirked and was not disappointed to see the Riddler's brow disappear into his hairline as he gawked at her for a split second, before suddenly bursting out in chuckles.

"ha-ha-ha! Oh I knew I was right in choosing you" he sighed heavily as he tried to calm himself down, because the guards at the end of the corridor were now watching both him and Mina with wary disturbed looks on their faces.

As quietly as he dared he leaned back down again through his cell bars and whispered.

"So kid long story short here's the deal. You help me get through my stupid new treatment and I give you the protection you need here to go ahead with your plans"

Mina paused for a moment her mind racing through all the scenarios in her head.

Though wary of the Riddler, he wasn't by far the worst inmate she had met. Sure he wasn't a force to be messed with what with his death traps and quick thinking. But he was predictable, selfish and ultimately insecure, three traits she could use to her advantage if she played her cards right.

And so it was with a sweet smile she whispered softly.

"Stop calling me kid Mister Nygma, and you got yourself a deal"

"Please, call me Edward. Mister Nygma just makes me sound so ancient and whilst wisdom is said to come with age I am not an invalid old man."

"No you are just a very energetic old man" Mina giggled and Edward rolled his eyes, muttering darkly under his breath.

"hmph…Very funny Miss Poole…very funny indeed"

_But we'll see who's laughing when I'm through with you, little conundrum._

* * *

 

_VRROOOOM! SPLASH!_

"Fuck! Watch where you're going Asshole! Jesus!"

Mina scowled as she stood on the side of the pavement, completely soaked through to the bone as the fast moving car sped through a red light, it's wheels spraying up water as it pooled in the streets.

_And to think today started so sunny._

She growled softly to herself as she crossed the road and darted into a small alley way. Usually she avoided these small streets, as most born and bred Gothamites do, but with the rain and the distance she had yet to cover to get back to her apartment she was willing to risk the dangers just this once…

She had just been about halfway down the small dingy dark path, a strange sound hit her ears.

The sound of a little girl laughing and squealing with delight while a man chuckled loudly.

Swiftly she looked up, for that was where she could hear it coming from.

_Just a small family living in the upper apartments._

She shrugged to herself as she eyed the window set on the second floor by the fire escape.

But even as she looked at the building she couldn't help but notice the silence in the air, and the strange darkness from within the glass which was broken, the wood on the window pane weak and dead looking from termite infestation.

For some reason she could not fathom…the sight was-

"Well, well, well what have we got here boys" a deep gravelly voice sneered.

Mina wheeled about.

"Fuck" she whispered as she caught sight of five figures hulking over her. Each one was built like a bull…each one bearing a dirty, bloodied clown mask.

The one nearest to her was by far the biggest and was bearing a baseball bat which he clapped in his hands as he advanced upon his prey.

"Aww…if it isn't a little pussy-cat, with her fur all wet from the rain"

"Ha! I bet that's not the only thing that's wet and mewling" one of his fellows leered, and his fellows chuckled wickedly.

"Wow, and how long did it take you to come up with that comment? A Month? A year?" Mina snarled, though she could feel her heart hammering as she tried to keep her eyes on all the men. Two of them were circling her, no doubt trying to sneak behind her to grab her and hold her down while their leader sniggered.

"Ohh! Little pussy cat likes to bite back does she. Boy's it looks like we've got ourselves a treat today."

"the only treat you're going to get is when you sip through a straw at the hospital" Mina spat, her hand flying into her bag.

But she was just too slow. Her fingers had barley grazed the hilt of her pistol, when the baseball bat hit her squarely in the stomach.

She stumbled backwards, bag flying out of her grip as a two pairs of hands grabbed her and forced her down to the hard wet ground. She struggled fiercely, hands legs kicking and flailing so much that she managed to hit one of her attackers in the face, smashing his clown mask with her heel and his nose.

"OW! THE FUCKING BITCH BROKE MY NOSE!" he swore loudly as blood gushed from his face. But his fellows paid him little heed, especially the leader who had dropped the baseball bat and had grabbed Mina's thighs.

"Don't worry Happy, I'm sure Pussy-cat wouldn't mind making it up to you once I'm through with her."

"go to fucking hell you sunovabitch" Mina screeched, thrashing as desperately as she could, but it was of no use, her thighs were already being spread, one gloved grimy hand sliding it's way up her thigh to her underwear as the other hand unzipped a pair of cargo pants.

_Oh fuck! Oh fuck! Oh fuck! I'm screwed!_

Mina shut her eyes, as she braced herself for the inevitable horrible-

**_BANG!_ **

She squeaked, eyes flying wide open just in time to see something small and metallic pierce straight into her captor's temple, before bursting out the other end in a splatter of brain matter and blood.

"Jerry!"

"HOLY SHIT!"

Two voices cried out behind her as with a painful thud she was dropped, her head hitting the ground so hard her head spun.

She was so dizzy she could barely make out the strange red and black shadow that moved over her vision.

Though blurry she could tell it was not one of her attackers. For one thing it didn't have the white clown mask, and it appeared to be wearing jeans with something black (leather maybe she couldn't tell) and not the scruffy jackets and pants the thugs wore. Their movements too, were smoother, the transitions between fists and guns polished with a finesse that wasn't so much trained as it was natural.

_What the fuck is this guy?_

She winced, black dots clouding her vision as she tried to sit up, only to fall back when her vision swam horribly.

She was vaguely aware of the crunching of boots on gravel and a voice smirking over her.

"Wow…I always knew that you were a magnet for trouble but this just takes the cake"

"Fuck you" Mina breathed, her eyes feeling heavy as exhaustion and her concussion both began to catch up with her.

Somewhere above her, her savior snorted.

"I was expecting a thank you, but given your current state I guess I'll have to make do for now."

"Who…who are you?"

"No One…just a ghost"

"Who's ghost?" Mina growled, doing her best and failing to keep her eyes from drooping shut darkness overtaking her mind, but not before she heard her savior smirk:

"Wouldn't you like to know… Mina?"

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *insert dramatic music* oh now we're finally getting a move on...sorta. don't worry next chapter really will get the story back on a roll towards the events at Arkham Asylum. 
> 
> hope you enjoyed and keep Reviewing for more :)


	9. X Marks the Spot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “A wonderful fact to reflect upon, that every human creature is constituted to be that profound secret and mystery to every other.”   
> ― Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

**Chapter 8: X Marks the Spot**

"Mina, could you go check on the plants in lab two? Be sure to check the moisture systems are working right. Remember the Titan plants need-"

"a constantly moist environment?"

"Oh don't give me lip newbie!" Doctor Penelope Young snapped irritably from her microscope. "Patient X will be arriving in two days and we need the plant samples prepared by them. We can't afford any delays if we want to start work at once."

Mina nodded rolling her eyes to herself only to cringe a little as her head throbbed.

Two weeks had passed since her almost catastrophic attack in the alley way; two weeks since she had been mysteriously rescued and weeks of a goddamn splitting headache.

But it wasn't the concussion on her head that made it hurt. Oh no that had healed over in two days quite quickly. No the real source of Mina's headache was the dithering form of Doctor Penelope Young who was currently speeding about the Greenhouse laboratory like a miniature tornado.

Mina watched her with scathing irritation as her boss as she all but flew into her desk and almost knocked over her patient files for her two psychiatric sessions of day that had just been settled neatly into two piles.

The patient files of Poison Ivy and the Riddler.

Mina's lip curled at the sight of the green question mark sketched carefully into the corner of the thick manila file.

Just this morning she had found a riddle on her desk, written in green on a small white card in a neat but slightly slanting hand. How he got it there she had no clue, nor was she going to ask.

She needed him to trust her, if not completely then at least enough to not suspect her of anything drastic.

And so it was with bored frustration that she mulled over the madman's puzzle in her head.

_Until I am measured_

_I am not known,_

_Yet how you miss me_

_When I have flown._

_What am I?_

The answer was simple enough. Time always seemed to be the thing she had on her mind, time and patience, though the latter was definitely beginning to run thin.

Had she not been in such a desperation for the answers she sought she might have enjoyed hers and Edward's little chats. For an insanely obsessive compulsive narcissist he was surprisingly intelligent company, or at least he was more intellectually stimulating than half the stupid morons Mina had to put up with on a daily basis.

However there was just one thing about the Riddler that really pissed her off to no end. That way he looked at her sometimes. As if she reminded him of someone he knew...though not in a good way.

And he was not the only one.

True to his word, Edward Nygma had used his influence as a rogue to keep the more thuggish inmates of the Asylum from even so much as spitting or hissing at her down a hallway. But that still didn't stop them from watching her as she passed some of them while on errands.

And with every look each one of them seemed to give a small smirk to themselves, and Mina could have sworn one of them had once shook his head and chuckled to himself saying:

_"_ _tch-a chip of the old block"_

"But a chip of who's block?" Mina murmured aloud to herself as she opened the door to the plant nursery.

It was a small room, warm and very humid and very wet. It was a good thing she wore her water repellant research coat as she made to kneel down by the small strange vine like plants that grew in small pots, twisting and writhing up posts with strange pink bulbs hanging off the tips of the smaller branches.

"Two weeks of work and we only produce tiny little you" she murmured scathingly to the largest of the plants which had only grown a depressing three millimeters taller over the past fortnight.

"You better be worth my time you little-Shit!" she swore as her pocket suddenly began to buzz loudly.

Swiftly she whipped out her phone and scowled as she saw a text message from Doctor Young.

_Make your way over to the Mansion asap. Doctor Whilster wants to see you. She says its urgent._

"Well…that's new" Mina snorted but nonetheless swiftly left the nursery, locked it, and made her way to the lab exit.

The walk to the Mansion was quiet and uneventful, but very tense, especially after she exited the Greenhouse.

Why?

Because she could see the GCPD cars parked outside the Mansion doors as their occupants milled around in waiting.

What they were waiting for she found out almost at once for as soon as she came close enough a middle aged fat man with a grubby face and holding a donut, called out loudly.

"Well I'll be damned! If it ain't the Pale-Ghost-kid, all grown up"

"Long time, no see Detective Bullock" Mina smiled coldly eyeing the detective and his fellow policemen with distrust. "And what brings you to Arkham on such a  _fine_  day? Did you or your men need another psyche test?"

"Che! Funny kid, real funny. But you won't be laughing for long. Commissioner Gordon wants to see you" Bullock grunted through his last mouthful of donut before grabbing the younger woman by the upper arm.

"Oh Gordon…what a great reunion this will be" Mina grunted not even bothering to struggle against his hold as the detective all but dragged her inside the mansion.

She rolled her eyes as a couple of the other interns and doctors passed her by, each one eyeing her suspiciously as if she were a ticking time bomb about to go off.

Well they weren't half wrong. Bullock's pig like grumbles and grunts under his breath were beginning to grate on her already short temper.

Needless to say she was greatly relieved when she was pulled up to one of the patient interview rooms, though the reprieve was short lived as the door was opened and she stepped inside.

Sure as eggs Commissioner Gordon was sitting in the doctor's chair watching her as she entered. His hair she noticed, was a steely grey, no longer the ginger she could remember from their previous encounter all those years ago, and his face was definitely marked by the wear and tear of stress and age. But his eyes behind the glasses were still the same dark blue and still held some twinkle of kindness even through the sternness of the rest of his face as he quietly murmured to someone standing behind him.

Now Mina's stomach jolted horribly, so much so that she couldn't help but snarl.

"Don't  _you_  have a city to save?"

"The city can wait. We need to talk." Batman growled and turned to Gordon who nodded grimly.

"Please take a seat" the old policeman gestured to the empty patients' chair and Mina could not help but shudder as she took it. Not that anyone could blame her. This was after all the chair that so often bore the behinds and bodies of Gotham's most notorious criminals.

Once she was settled comfortably she did her best to avoid the pair of white slits in the black cowl that was currently glaring her down from behind the old police officer who was wiping his glasses to clean them.

"I'm sorry we had to disrupt your work Miss Poole. But something has come up in one of our investigations. We would've tried to call your cellphone and arrange to meet you at the GCPD but you were indisposed-"

"You're trying to rule me out as a suspect" Mina smirked quietly. "For what crime may I ask? I was not aware I had been involved in any criminal activities of late"

Gordon blinked in astonishment but was saved from the young woman's incoming curve-ball from Batman who stepped forwards with a yellow manila file that he handed to her.

She opened it with ginger fingers, only to flinch at the sight of a bloodied clown like mask grinning inanely up at her from a dead man's pale face. With a well concealed gulp she carefully flipped over the photograph, only to come across another image of a similar nature, and another, and another.

Eventually she was able to count five dead men from the pictures.

Five dead men she recognized…Five dead men who had tried to pin her down, only to be taken out by a mysterious figure.

She felt herself be dragged from her daze by Batman's words as he rumbled darkly.

"Two weeks ago, these five men were found dead in Crime Alley. The cause of death for each of them was a bullet shot into the sides of each of their heads. Each one of these men were known to have been a part of the Joker's gang, and each one of them were seen by witnesses to have followed  _you_  as you walked into that alleyway."

There was a deadly silence as Batman stepped forwards to tower over Mina, his glare even fiercer then she'd ever seen it before.

But that didn't scare her in the slightest.

Indeed Gordon had to admit he was impressed to see the young woman glare back at the vigilante with just as much scathing venom.

"Yeah, they followed me. So what? I didn't shoot them"

"No but you know who did" Batman's eyes narrowed.

"Not really no. Whoever did shoot them however must have done it when I was unconscious." Mina's lip curled as the irritating voice of her savior wafted into her mind. But she didn't have to share everything with the dark knight… did she? Either way he was really beginning to bug the crap out of her.

She was spared his questioning by Gordon's much calmer more patient tones as he leaned forwards, certainly less threatening than his vigilante colleague.

"Very well. Then could you describe what happened to you before you lost consciousness? Like why you were in that alley way for instance."

"I was on my way home" Mina muttered darkly. "It was raining and I didn't have an umbrella. I needed to catch a bus quickly so I decided to take a shortcut through the alleyway to get to the bus stop. I was almost through to the other side when these punks came up behind me, and pinned me down to the ground. I tried to fight back but they had two guys holding me while the other three… well…you know how these kinds of assholes are…" she trailed off with a bitter scowl and then shook her head. "Whatever, long story short, before any of them could actually have their way with me there was a loud bang and then I was dropped to the ground. And well…the rest is black. When I came to I was laying alone in the alley way with five dead bodies around me. Last thing I wanted was to be around when someone came to see five clowns lying dead on the floor-"

"So you ran away from the scene of the crime and did not call for help" Gordon exchanged a small frown with the Batman whose eyes were now so narrow that it was a miracle he could still see Mina anymore as she snorted.

"And who would've helped, hmm? Everyone knows that Park Row's full of crooks including the members of the force that patrol there. And besides if anyone decent did try to help me they'd probably have ended up laying bleeding in a gutter the next day."

Gordon once again fell silent with thought, but the vigilante beside him wasn't so easily deterred as he pulled out another evidence bag and handed it to her.

"This is your handgun?"

"Yes" Mina clipped as she inspected the weapon in the bag. "I was wondering where that went. Where did you find it?"

"In the Alley way beside the bodies. It was still warm when we found it." Gordon explained as he watched the young woman narrow her eyes at him. "Care to explain why you carry such a powerful firearm in your purse.

"Most of the docs and medics here have special permission to carry some form of self-defense on them" Mina scoffed shrugging. "Danger and death are just some of the many dangers of the job you have to get used to if you work at one of the world's most dangerous criminal asylums. And after the incident with Poison Ivy I'd rather be prepared than be sorry"

"So this is a recent acquirement?"

"Yes. My father gave it to me after I told him I was going to work at Arkham. Though I didn't have a chance to use it two weeks ago" she snapped before the policeman could even open his mouth "the bastards pinned me down before I could defend myself"

"I see" Gordon nodded and then held out his hand with an expectant look on his face. "I'm sorry but could I have that back now. That is still evidence."

Mina rolled her eyes but still did as she was beckoned and handed back her gun grumbling.

"Listen Commissioner, I still don't know who the hell killed these assholes, but even so…I'm glad they did. The world would be a lot safer without those clown freaks running around and creating shit"

"So if you could've, would you have killed them?" Batman murmured darkly his eyes scanning over the younger woman's face like an X-Ray machine as they locked gazes.

"In self-defense, yes I would've" She growled. "Especially any goon of the Joker's"

Gordon and Batman shared another uncomfortable look, as the latter bristled in his spot.

But when Gordon spoke he kept perfectly still and silent, his jaw stiffening till it was as stony as a statue.

"Thank you for your time Miss Poole. We're sorry if we interrupted your work, but we'll call you if we discover anything new about this case."

_Translation: You'll be keeping tabs on me because you're still suspicious_

Mina scowled in her head, though she hid it quickly behind a curt nod to the Commissioner as she rose to her feet. She didn't even bother to acknowledge Batman as she turned her back to leave, not even bothering to care that his white cowl slits were narrowed upon the back of her head with scathing frustration as he thought:

_That girl…just what is her deal? Why is she hiding so much?_

Why indeed…

* * *

 

It was dark with night by the time Mina arrived back at her apartment. She didn't even bother to turn on any light as, feet sore and brain swimming, she all but flopped face first onto her couch, her arm carelessly slapping around to find her television remote.

One more day of work. One more day of running errands for Doctor Young.

Behind her seemingly sweet and caring façade, Mina was not surprised to find that her new boss was in reality, an ambitious, selfish and ultimately stupid woman.

Oh no, Doctor Young was not stupid academically. Indeed her wealth of knowledge was almost admirable in its own right.

_If only she wasn't so naïve and deluded_

Mina sighed mentally to herself as she felt her hand hit something solid…but not metallic.

"what the?" she rolled over to her side only to shriek as a large dark hand wrapped over her mouth from behind.

Struggling hard she did her best to try and bite at the fingers over her face as her limbs all flayed out in an attempt to free herself. But in spite of all her attempts to struggle, the figure just held her steady, their larger body blanketing hers from behind as it held her close and pressed something cold and hard to her temple.

"I would stay still if I were you" a strangely garbled voice hissed in her ear as the gun pressed harder against her skin. "We wouldn't want any unnecessary accidents"

Mina stilled quickly where she lay, flat on her front on the couch, though she still panted hard for breath, heart hammering as the stranger behind her chuckled through the voice scrambler he wore.

Yes she could tell it was a he. She could feel his tough body through the back of her thin white shirt and black skirt.

It might have been a turn on had she not been so scared of the gun pressed to her head, or confused by the strange voice that now spoke to her quietly and carefully.

"Much better. Now I'm going to take my hand off your mouth so don't scream or else. Got it"

Mina nodded clamping her lips shut as the gloved hand carefully pried itself from her face.

"Who are you? What do you want?" she muttered doing her best to keep her shaking voice no louder than a whisper.

"Who am I? I am the guy with the gun. The gun that shot those five clowns…and the gun that will shoot you if you scream" the stranger hissed as he pressed the gun harder into her head "and as for what I want…well…let's just call it payment for saving your ass."

"What payment do you have in mind?" Mina gulped, horribly more aware of the way his body pressed even closer to hers as he leaned into her ear and whispered.

"Information"

Mina blinked.

"Pardon"

"In-for-mat-ion" the stranger growled irritably as he poked the gun hard at her head. "About Arkham Asylum"

"Well that narrows it down  _a lot_ " she rolled her eyes sarcastically only to grimace as the gun was once again jabbed into her head. "Fine. What kind of information?"

The hand holding the gun to her head tensed slightly, but she could see in the corner of her eye that the finger had been pulled off the trigger.

"You work for Doctor Young now." The strange voice stated coldly "That means you come into contact with her patients"

"Some of them yes" Mina scowled, though she could feel her gut churning uncomfortably. "Which one you after? Scarecrow and Poison Ivy are currently in extreme isolation and Riddler is being kept under constant watch in his cell-"

"I don't care about Nygma or Ivy, but you're getting warmer." Her attacker growled. "The Joker. I need information on the Joker. And you're gonna give it to me"

"Oh…am I" Mina growled back only to squeak as a hand forced itself roughly on the back of her neck. "Okay, okay! I'll do it just get off me."

"And let you call up the cops? Yeah right! You're staying right here till I say so Mina"

There was a pause in which Mina frowned

"How the hell do you know my name" she murmured more to herself than to anyone else, but her mysterious assailant still heard her.

"I have my ways" he smirked, or at least she thought he smirked. It was hard to tell with his scrambled voice. But she could tell he was definitely enjoying himself if the way his hard body was hovering dangerously close over her back.

It took all she had not to struggle as he hissed through gritted teeth.

"And, just out of curiosity, why don't you use those ways in getting the information you want? Seeing as you're so  _obviously_  good at it. And out of all the trained professionals currently at the Asylum why the fuck did you choose me?"

"Because, unlike the others you're smart enough to do anything considered criminal or stupid" the stranger snorted "and also, because even I cannot be in two places at once. the Batman's been getting real jumpy recently, and the last thing I want is him on my tail"

"And what makes you think I want him on mine?" Mina scowled angrily "That bastard's already given me more trouble than he's worth-"

"But you haven't given him any reason to arrest you" the stranger steamrolled smoothly over her "You irritate the living crap out of him but you're still just a civilian to him. He'll keep an eye on you but not as thoroughly as he would the other crooks-"

"and you" Mina added in a grumble, only to wince as the hand on the back of her neck gripped her tighter.

"I'm not a crook" her captor growled. "Just a ghost remember?"

"The ghost of who?" Mina grunted. "Christmas yet to come? If so you've definitely got the wrong Scrooge."

"Hmph, very funny" her  _ghost_  snorted. "But let's just get one thing straight. You tell anyone about me or our arrangement, and you're gonna join those dead clowns in hell"

"What makes you think I've not been to hell already" Mina clipped and the Ghost whispered silkily (or as silkily as possible with the voice scrambler) into her ear.

"Because if you had I would definitely remember meeting you there"

"Cute pick up line. I bet that makes all the girls melt in your palm" Mina rolled her eyes

"I'll be back in a week to retrieve the information. And if you get me what I want…I'll give you what you want."

"And what do you know about what I want?" Mina muttered, though she couldn't quite shake off the small shiver of thrill as the Ghost chuckled and pressed himself into her back so he could murmur into her ear.

"Everything."

"Everything as in…"

"I know you want answers to some questions." The Ghost hissed "I can give them to you. Or I can give you ways to find them  _safely_  without the Batman or the police interfering. But all this won't be possible until you get me that information."

Mina stayed quiet for a moment, but though she did not speak her mind was whirring like a tornado as she mulled over her offer.

Whilst she wasn't too keen on keeping tabs on one of Gotham's most dangerous nut-jobs, she was desperate to find any lead on her ever elusive past…but was she desperate enough to trust a virtually invisible criminal?

If she was being really honest with herself there was only one answer she could give:

"What time did you want to meet next week?"

* * *

 

The Bat-cave wasn't a place known to its residents to be cheerful or happy in its atmosphere. But even Timothy Drake had to admit his base of operations atmosphere was just plain horrible in recent days.

Why?

Because the Batman was in such a foul mood, that's why.

The third Boy Wonder couldn't help but gulp as he caught sight of his boss's scathing scowl as he jumped out of the Batmobile and stalked past him, muttering darkly.

"What the hell is she up to?"

"So…the Poole chick gave you trouble again?"

"Trouble is putting it mildly" the Dark Knight grunted as he made to flump down into the seat before the Bat-computer. "She knows who saved her in that alleyway but she's refusing to spill the beans on him. She also doesn't seem to care that her gun was used as the murder weapon."

"Well those clowns were going to rape her" Tim tried to sound as casual as he possibly could, only to flinch as Batman sent him a scathing glare over his shoulder. "What? they were!"

There was a very heavy sigh as the dark horned cowl slid back and Bruce Wayne's tired angry face glowered at the computer screen.

"It still doesn't make any sense" he muttered more to himself than to Tim " _He_  doesn't want anyone to harm her and yet he sends his goons out to get her? Why? Unless…hmm…maybe…" he trailed off.

"Maybe what?" Tim frowned in confusion.

"Maybe it wasn't supposed to happen" Bruce scratched his chin "Maybe those five clowns were not Jokers men"

"-Just common street thugs pretending so they could scare people" Tim finished grimacing with disgust.

"Or thugs from a rival's gang, pretending to be his own men so they could move about on his turf without rousing suspicion" Bruce's eyes hardened on his protégé, whose brow furrowed even further.

"But if that's the case then who's thugs were they? And why do they want Mina Poole?"

"I don't know. But we do have a long list of suspects to choose from" Bruce admitted quietly as he clicked a file on his computer which opened up at once to showcase a roster of Arkham mugshots.

"Damn" Tim whistled as he looked over the very familiar photographs of all of Gotham's finest Rogues. "For one woman she sure knows how to piss people off"

"You don't know the half of it" Bruce snorted as he began to flick through the files until he hit the one with the picture of a pale man with chalk white skin, bright green hair and a smear of red spread wide over his eerily grinning face.

"Just what is your game this time" he muttered softly as the evil green eyes just stared manically back at him from the screen.

"What?" Tim blinked but Bruce just shook his head.

"Nothing."

But even as he pressed the mouse onto the next suspect (a man with half a face mutated and burnt off) he couldn't help but snarl under his breath.

Because if there was one person that could truly piss him off more than Marina Poole, it was definitely the-

The Dark Knight was quickly brought out of his musings by a loud siren noise and a flashing blue light blaring on his computer screen.

"Code Red break-out at Blackgate prison" Tim read off the screen. "Should we -"

But Batman was already striding past him and back towards the Batmobile, his face set in a scathing scowl.

_After I get a look at Blackgate I'm gonna get to the bottom of this! I've got to. Before it's too late…_

* * *

 

"Mina! Mina! Wake up!"

Mina's eyes flew open and at once she felt the throbbing in her head as it lay against smooth cool metal.

"Mina" a voice snapped.

She blinked rapidly her eyes only adjusting to the dim light about her. She seemed to have been laying her head on her lab workstation right next to her laptop, on which an image was flashing saying "Download Complete:100%"

Beside her she could hear Doctor Young coughing gruffly.

"What?" Mina muttered glowering at her boss who just folded her arms and scowled.

"Patient X is on his way now from Blackgate."

"What time will he arrive?"

"In an hour or so. Hurry up and prep the MC lab. This transfer has to go as smoothly as possible or it's both our necks on the line."

And with that Doctor Young stalked off, leaving Mina to sneer contemptuously at her back.

_Geeze! First the ghost and then her… how the fuck to I keep ending up working for assholes. Oh well, off to the lab I go._

And with that she collected all her various plant spore samples and marched off out of the room and back into the greenhouse.

It was empty save a couple of guards but they barely paid any heed to her presence as she walked past them. She also wasn't stopped by a pair of guards as she walked into the Medical centre in spite of it being the dead of night.

But then again it wasn't uncommon to see the young intern wandering around the facility at nearly one o'clock in the morning.

Everyone knew just how hard Doctor Young had put her new lackey to work, and no one was going to question it. Not if they wanted to keep their jobs intact. Not even the other doctors' were allowed to question it, though it did not stop them asking Mina probing questions every time she stopped to chat to one of them.

But thankfully tonight no-one was really available to talk to her. Every medical personnel had their hands full with trying to treat several guards that had been unfortunate enough to be caught up in one of Killer Croc's temper tantrums.

To many outsiders, the thought of a giant mutated reptilian humanoid attacking the staff, was nothing short of horrific. But to most of the seasoned Arkham Veterans, (aka anyone who had survived more than four months at the Asylum), such events were so regular that it was dully normal. Indeed many of the older more experienced guards often made bets on who would be any of the Rogue's next target.

Even now as she walked past, Mina could hear some guards muttering and placing bets under the table at the front desk security of the Medical Center.

"Wanna bet that new little pretty-Johnny boy won't last a week?"

"Tch! Buddy, he ain't gonna last two days"

The last words of the guard died away as Mina quietly slipped through a side door and down a set of stairs.

Quiet as a shadow she moved, daring not to make a sound even though she was completely alone. She was heading down to the experimental chambers, a large underground area in which certain doctors could hire out from the Asylum to use as a space for their personal projects.

Down here the air was slightly musty and cold, even with the new and updated ventilation systems that had just been installed earlier that week.

Mina shivered and pulled her researchers coat tighter around her as she stepped into a large stone and brick room in which what appeared to be a large tent like structure had been set up in glass and tarpaulin.

She had only been in it once before and like that one time she still thought it looked like a macabre quarantine tent.

She shook her head as she quickly made to duck into the tent in which were two computers, a slab and what appeared to be a strange mechanism on one of the glass walls which had many tubes large and small protruding from it like a grotesque fungal growth.

_Man… I really feel sorry for the poor ass who's stuck in here_

She shook her head as she reached forwards to touch one of the large pipes, only to jump back as a small clang hit her ears.

She wheeled around quickly, eyes wide with alarm- but no one was there.

"must have been from upstairs" she muttered to herself as she glanced to the roof.

_Yeah…I can still hear them up there_

She nodded to herself, though she couldn't quite shake off the feeling that she was somehow not as alone as she had once thought.

The minutes dragged by, but she did her best to neaten up the new facility, carefully placing and labelling her spore samples, and tucking them into their respective boxes that were all ready to go.

So bored was she by the time one hour was up, she was just about wondering if she should draw rude graffiti on her bosses desk when she heard a pair of doors open and a feminine voice call out.

"Quickly. Move him in here. And you two, go in there and be prepared to cuff him in place. We don't want any accidents when he wakes up. Ah Mina there you are" Doctor Young beamed as she stepped into her new makeshift lab followed by two very burly men who gruffly nodded to Mina as they passed her to go to the tubes on the wall.

"So he made it through alright?" Mina forced a smile, though inwardly she couldn't help but feel nervous as she caught sight of the black balaclavas over each of their faces as well as their guns on their hips.

Those weren't run of the mill firearms just sold off a Gotham alleyway. These were proper weapons sold to mercenaries on the black market. And speaking of mercenaries; each of the men that came in looked like they could kill an ox each and still have energy to run a mile.

Whoever Young was bringing in was obviously so dangerous that they needed equally dangerous guards to bring him in.

But even as she watched the medical stretcher be rolled into the enclosure, she almost felt her gut drop to the floor.

There, laying unconscious as he was lifted onto the medical slab, was a gigantic man. His huge body easily passed seven feet in height, and was so muscled that even the large pair of orange pants he wore were strained by his quads even as he was relaxed.

But what got to Mina most was the face…or rather the black and white Lucha libre mask that he wore over the face.

"Bane…"

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELOO my lovelies. 
> 
> So there you have it, patient X has arrived, which means the events of Arkham Asylum are soon to come :) so excited.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed and keep reviewing for more


	10. Cold Cold Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Don't talk like you're one of them! You're not... even if you'd like to be. To them you're just a freak, like me.”   
> ― Heath Ledger (The Joker), "The Dark Knight" Christopher J. Nolan

"Bane"

Mina breathed, unable to stop herself from taking a step forwards as she stared at the unconscious supervillain laying on the slab.

"Incredible isn't he?" Doctor Young smirked "One of the world's heaviest substance addicts. Too bad he turned to a life of crime. He could've done good with his gift. Oh well…at least he can do some good now. Or at least the venom will"

"Venom?" Mina stared at Doctor Young with wide eyes. "A-as in the-"

"Super steroid. Yes." Young nodded her smirk widening. "It's the only substance that will be able to effectively bind with the formula we are producing with the Titan plants. But seeing as it is illegal for the Asylum to order in Venom from overseas, we had to make _other_ arrangements to acquire it off the books. And as Bane is one of the few people in the world to have a high tolerance for the drug, he is logically the perfect test subject for the prototype formula. We really have killed two birds with one stone."

_Yeah…and we're the two birds._

Mina hissed in her head, though on the outside she just nodded quietly.

"Ah…I see. So what do we do now?"

"Now we keep him sedated and secure until the machine can begin draining him of the venom" Doctor Young's smirk fell a little as she shifted uncomfortably. "he's already been given a high dose of extremely potent tranquilizer but still…keep your guard up. Until he's had at least ten per cent of the Venom drained he might still be strong enough to break free of the cuffs"

"Alright."

_And we call the inmates insane…_

Mina rolled her eyes as she made to prep a syringe of strong sedatives on a nearby table

_this woman just is fucking nuts if she thinks she can keep this brute in for more than a day._

She felt her pocket buzz and jumped. But it was only her cellphone. She quickly checked it and felt her heart sink as a text message from a blocked number showed up.

_Iceberg Lounge, Christmas Eve, nine o' clock evening, reservation under John Haywood. Don't be late - Ghost_

"What is that?" Doctor Young snapped sharply and Mina tucked the phone quickly into her pocket.

"Nothing" she smiled innocently "A guy just asked me out for drinks tomorrow evening"

"Oh…a guy huh?" Doctor Young's eyes narrowed, all previous tenseness suddenly replaced by shrewdness "Someone from Arkham or-"

"No" Mina shook her head quickly "Just some guy I met at a bar last weekend"

"oh good" Doctor Young sighed with relief "because I should warn you, Doctor Whistler is not keen on Arkham staff fraternizing with each other outside of work. Says it interferes too much with their duties and is potentially dangerous"

"Oh yeah how so?" Mina asked politely though she could already guess the answer even as Young shook her head.

"Giving out too much information about our personal lives can be a liability. If one of the inmates holds a grudge against us they can use that knowledge to hurt us, by remaining distant we can protect not just ourselves but others we care about..."

There was a pause as Doctor Young bristled uncomfortably in her spot.

Mina knew exactly why her boss looked so disturbed. She'd seen some of the transcripts of the Riddler's older patient interview tapes whilst filing the other day. Needless to say, the probing questions of the riddling narcissist still freaked Doctor Young out till this day.

_A good reminder_

A small voice at the back of Mina's head sneered.

_You can never let your guard down in this madhouse._

And speaking of guard…

She turned her head as a soft grunting sounded from behind her.

"Where…where am I?"

"Shit! Oh-shit-oh-shit-oh-shit!" Doctor Young swore as she checked Bane's vitals which were beginning to spike as he began to stir. "Quick sedate him! He's still not ready to be woken!"

As quick as thinking Mina swept up her full syringe and smoothly slid it into the vein along the inside of the supervillain's outstretched elbow.

There was a tense silence as both doctor and assistant watched the contents of the syringe empty out slowly into the big brute's system.

As she waited, Mina was horribly aware that a pair of dark brown eyes were fixed on her face…and not in a friendly way.

"Who-who are you? What…what are you doing to me?" Bane slurred, his Spanish accent even thicker in his tranquilized state.

Swallowing down her nerves, Mina forced a gentle soothing smile before reaching out and oh-so-tenderly stroking his face.

"Don't move" she whispered in that gentle voice mothers use on tired children "You were hurt pretty badly. You need to rest-"

"But I-I-" Bane tried to struggle but Mina hushed him softly.

"Shh…it's alright. Just shut your eyes and sleep…just sleep and dream…"

And before the supervillain could say another word, his eyes slid shut and his body went slack.

And he knew nothing more.

* * *

**Christmas Eve…**

"Mina! Mina it's eight o' clock already"

"Okay" Mina called back as she stepped out of the shower of her parent's apartment.

It was a much larger, and much nicer, apartment than she currently owned in downtown Gotham. And most importantly it felt more like a home.

Mina sighed contentedly as she scrubbed the towel through her damp hair which now smelled faintly of roses and vanilla.

Just like the middle aged woman who came shuffling in holding something red in her arms. She was a mousy woman with dark hair and dark eyes, small and very thin with her bald head wrapped in a nice red and green Christmas themed silk headscarf, and tough she moved timidly through the room, it was clear enough to see that she was almost bursting with excitement.

Mina smiled at the woman who smiled back warmly as she neatly laid out the dress on her daughter's old bed.

"Thanks mom. Sorry I'm not going to be here tonight but-"

"Oh don't give me that Minny" Emilia Poole waved her off as she made to flatten out any creases in the red material. "You've always spent every holiday with us old fuddy-duddy's without fail. Plus after all the horrible things that have happened to you at that horrible asylum, it's high time you got out there and enjoyed yourself. But I just have one-"

"John Haywood." Mina snorted before her mother could even finish "the guy I'm meeting is called John Haywood."

To anyone who didn't know Mina well they would've been mortally offended by her bluntness. But Emilia Poole on the other hand was so used to her daughter's brisk attitude it that she ignored the tones and excitedly tittered.

"Ooh, and what's he like? Is he good looking? Is he nice? What does he do for a living? I mean sure he's got to be pretty well off if he can afford to meet you at the Iceberg Lounge-"

"He's a security guard for some high-class socialite. I forget which one" Mina shrugged vaguely doing her best to ignore the widening smile creeping up her mother's face. "I met him whilst walking back from work the other day. He helped push off a few thugs that were trying to have a go at me. As for looks…I guess he fits into the strong, dark and mysterious category"

"You guess?" Emilia frowned and Mina quickly coughed.

"Yeah well it's kinda hard to say if he looks good or not. He has a tendency to hide his face with-"

"Facial hair?" Emilia's face split into a wide fond smile. "Yes Bobby was a lot like that when we first met."

"What? You mean back when you and dad were students?"

"Yeah" Emilia's eyes turned misty and dreamy. "He was really struggling to get a job. Couldn't even afford a decent razor to shave so he had a beard for a very long time. It was only after he started working at the hospital that he could shave it off."

"Man what I'd pay to see that" Mina chuckled softly only to jump as her phone suddenly pinged with a message.

"Oh hurry up now it's almost time for your taxi. And you've still got to do your hair and make-up"

"Okay mom, okay" Mina rolled her eyes, only to blush as her mother suddenly swooped in from the side and hugged her close.

"Mom-"

"Oh hush" Emilia chuckled "It's Christmas and you owe me"

_So many favors I owe people nowadays…_

A dark little voice hissed even as Mina made to lean into her mother's touch.

_This is going to be one heck of a Christmas…_

* * *

The alarms were blaring, the lights were flashing and still the strong form of the Dark Knight could not be stopped as he all but stormed his way towards the door of a cell.

It was wide open, the padded room beyond empty and devoid of life. Meanwhile outside, a bruised and battered guard was stirring.

Without even pausing to wait Batman crouched before the man who cried out in alarm, only to sigh in relief.

"Batman…oh Batman thank goodness- He –I couldn't stop him-he just-and she-"

"Calm down. What's the first thing you remember?" Batman growled his voice dark but measured so as not to distress the frightened man any further.

"What-what happened? I-I don't know- no wait! H-He-He-the J-Joker" the poor man spluttered gulping to take huge soothing breaths as he sat up straight "That's right the Joker, h-he was singing-he was singing loudly in his cell. I wouldn't have gone near him normally but the other inmates were complaining so-so I asked him to just lower the volume some"

"What happened then?" Batman's teeth clenched uncomfortably as he made to pull the shaken guard to his feet.

"The Joker-he-he just stopped laughing." The guard shuddered "Y'see we know Joker's a wildcard but he normally just laughs us off whenever we try to tell him to do something. But this time was different. He went completely dead silent after I spoke. Went quiet for about I don't know five minutes. It was freaky. I went to go check up on him but then something hit me hard at the back of the head, something big like-"

"Harley Quinn's baseball bat?" Batman's jaw hardened as he muttered, more to himself than the guard "So she's escaped Arkham too. Joker obviously has something big planned or he wouldn't be dragging his hired help along for the ride"

He turned back to the guard who was shaking his head out trying to clear it.

"And Joker wasn't behaving off before he sang?"

"N-no" the guard frowned. "He was perfectly okay-o-or at least as okay as well as anyone like _he_ could be. Actually he has been behaving rather well for the past few days, save for the constant singing-"

"Singing? What kind of singing?" the Dark Knight clipped sharply, the lenses of his cowl now just slits of white that made the poor guard shudder even more.

"Just these really old songs. Always a different one every day, but they all seem to be about some 'Darling' of his."

"Darling?" Batman frowned and the guard nodded vigerously.

"Y-yeah like _Darling_ _Clementine_ …uh…and _Merry Christmas Darling_ I-I think. I mean I'm no musician but-Hey! Where are you going?"

But Batman was already striding back the way he had come down the corridor his face set in a scathing glower.

It was so ferocious that even Aaron Cash jumped back as he passed him by.

"Batman there you are-what-?"

"You should get that man a medic then call up Commissioner Gordon" Batman steamrolled firmly over Cash "Joker and Harley Quinn have both escaped tonight. By now they might already be back in Gotham City. We need to secure the island before more prisoner's escape"

"Fuck! Those bastard clowns" Cash cursed venomously his hook hand shaking as he leaned against the wall "How the hell did they get out so quietly? Harley at least would never leave without causing a scene-"

"She's only staying quiet because she's following the Joker's lead" Batman barked "he's up to something, something big but he doesn't want anyone else to follow his tracks till he's ready to reveal his plans."

"And these plans are?" Cash quirked an eyebrow to the vigilante who bristled uncomfortably where he stood.

"…I don't know" he finally murmured after a moment of silence "But I think I know where I might find him next…"

_And I'll have to hurry if I'm to make it on time._

He thought quietly as he strode away from Cash, his dark cape billowing about him.

"Alfred" He muttered into his comm link "I need a location on Mina Poole, right now. It's an emergency-"

_"_ _Master Tim and I have already located her sir. She seems to be spending the holidays at her adoptive family's apartment in the Kingston District on Miagani Island. I'm sending the address right now"_

"Good. I'll make my way over as quickly as possible. Keep me informed of any updates from the GCPD."

 _"_ _Will do"_ Tim Drake's younger voice called from the other end of the comm link _"But before that just what the hell is going on? Why is Joker suddenly feeling the call to action now after all these months? And why Mina Poole?"_

"I don't know" Batman growled, doing his best and failing to ignore the heat of anger bubbling in his chest. "But I have a very bad feeling we're going to find out soon."

* * *

The Iceberg Lounge

One of Gotham's most luxurious and most expensive nightclubs.

With fine dining, best music and the most exclusive clientele, it was certainly NOT a place Mina Poole frequented often.

And yet here she was on Christmas Eve facing down a very timid looking usher sandwiched between very burly pair of bouncers. All three of them were wearing black penguin suits and all three of them looked almightily uncomfortable under her piercing stare.

"I'm meeting someone who has a reservation. His name is John Haywood"

"Haywood…" the usher gulped as he checked his VIP guest list. "Y-yes he's here…I'll um…get Jay to show you in. Jay!"

A very attractive woman with short dark hair and wearing a tiny black dress, with a matching bow tie around her throat, stalked forwards.

"Yes Mister Sparrow?" she droned in a mechanical bored fashion.

"Jay, if you wouldn't mind escourting this young lady to Mister Haywood's table." The small usher, Mister Sparrow (a fitting name Mina couldn't help but note) tittered.

"Of course. Right this way miss" the woman, Jay turned her back briskly on Mina who couldn't help but smirk at the long queue of patrons still waiting on the other side of the rope.

Many people, mainly women, glared at her as she was ushered in first, some of them even complaining about line-cutting.

But Mina didn't care.

She was too busy examining the giant Iceberg in the middle of the room.

She had to hand it to the Penguin. For a criminal he sure had style.

Her first impression of the Iceberg Lounge was that it strongly reminded her of the posh old fashioned hotel she'd seen in _Hello Dolly_ , except that this lounge had a large iceberg floating in the large pool in the centre on which a very slick jazz band accompanied a beautiful woman as she sang rather smooth and sexy renditions of popular Christmas tunes. The sound was loud enough to travel to the top this iceberg where a platform raised high above.

_No doubt the boss sits up there_

She grunted as she caught a glimpse of a few figures standing on the platform, one of them distinctly shorter than all the others.

"this way please" Jay's drone cut through her head sharply, and quickly she made to follow the woman towards one of the private VIP tables which was separated from the main diner's by a set of rich red curtains.

As soon as she'd stepped into the space, Jay wasted no time in taking her coat and sliding the curtains behind her shut before Mina could even thank her.

"pff! Wow…that girl really _loves_ her job huh?" she snorted to herself, only to jump as a familiar scrambled voice snorted softly.

"So do you I hear"

She turned quickly to look at the table.

There standing on one side of the circular table hands in his pockets, was a tall figure dressed in a sharp black suit, with a red waistcoat and wearing a white skull mask over his face.

He was strongly built, but not overly so, Mina noted as she cautiously stepped towards him, eyes drifting to the top of his head. However instead of seeing a head of hair, she was sorely disappointed to see a black cap of a body suit.

"Enjoying the view" Ghost smirked behind the mask.

"Are you?" Mina raised her eyebrows.

There was a pause as Ghost's eyes drifted over her form up and down.

Not that anyone could blame him. She was wearing a very tight, very short wine red halter necked dress, with black stilettos and a plunging neckline. Her white blonde hair hung loose in vintage styled waves over her back, and her lips were painted a very inviting deep rich red, which turned into a thin line as her gaze hardened on her observer.

"Hmm…pity this is just business" Ghost muttered, almost it seemed to himself.

"For you yes" Mina's lips quirked upwards ever so slightly and he bristled uncomfortably.

"We're wasting time" he clipped stiffly gesturing to a seat opposite him.

Mina took it graciously as a waiter strode in to serve a glass of red wine into her hand.

As soon as the man was gone the Ghost forwards in his chair.

"So…the Joker-"

"Is staying quiet" Mina cut through sharply. "He's being kept under constant supervision in his cell in the Intensive Treatment Building."

"Any reason why?"

"According to Doctor Crane he attacked a guard for interrupting his make out session with Harley Quinn in the Rec Room"

"You talked to the other Rogues?" Ghost grunted

"Only Riddler and Scarecrow." Mina smiled oh-so-charmingly "And even then Edward couldn't wait to boast about being all the excitement. It took me forever to shut him up about it during our session."

"Edward huh? I'd never have pegged you to be the Riddler's kinda girl" Ghost grunted, but Mina could almost hear the suppressed venom in his tones, venom which only seemed to grow as Mina haughtily scoffed.

"Oh please, narcissists are so not my type."

"And Crane-"

"Too old, too skinny, too high a voice and too obsessed with his experiments. Though I will admit I've probably learned more of psychology from him then I ever did in class or with either of my bosses" Mina smirked as she sipped at her wine. "And speaking of bosses, are you working for someone or self-employed?"

"That's none of your concern" Ghost growled, and Mina was sure he was almost at breaking point "What matters now is that you work for me and that means you give me all the information you have-"

"And I don't have much right now" Mina snapped waspishly. "I don't get to see much of Joker and Doctor Young is doing everything in her power to keep me away from him. She seems to think that because I'm _young_ and _naïve_ that I'll fall into his lap like that dimbo Quinn of his. I have to work with what I can get and what I can get right now is only accounts from other people, and even then it's dangerous to ask too many questions, what with that bastard Batman coming in every day-"

"Batman? He's at Arkham?" Ghost muttered as he silently fingered an entrée knife on the table.

"Yeah" Mina sighed heavily a scowl gracing her features as she remembered the big black caped crusader's growling face "He's been coming in frequently for a few days, checking on the security on all the top level patients, and that includes Joker's cell-"

"And what of your new Patient X? Has the Bat found him yet?"

There was a deadly silence, punctuated only by a waiter strolling in with a tray and placing delicious foodstuffs on their table. He was quick to leave, but Mina barely paid him any attention for her wide eyes were glued to the perpetually grinning skull mask of her employer.

When she finally found her voice, it was almost breathless.

"No…no he hasn't found him yet"

The silence that stretched between them now was so thick that even I knife wouldn't be able to cut through it.

Somewhere behind the mask, Mina was sure her Ghost was smirking at her. Not that she liked it very much.

He had caught her out.

And how she hated it when that happened.

Her black eyes turned all to ice as she hissed through gritted teeth.

"I've given you what I know. Now tell me what I want to know"

"Hmph! And people call me short tempered." Ghost chuckled softly as he stood up from his seat his feet stalking towards her slowly and carefully "That alley way I found you in. The one in Park Row"

"What about it?" Mina grunted doing her best not to move as her ghost prowled behind her like a shark, his voice as soft as a hiss.

"It's got a lot of apartments around it. All of them are pretty old and many of them are abandoned. You should go check them out sometime if you're not too busy"

"Why?" Mina's frowned "What's so important about them?"

"You'll know it when you see them" Ghost chuckled before leaning down to murmur softly "But be careful not to visit the place at night. Batman's got eyes and ears on all of Gotham but he's particularly fond of Crime Alley…it's a…heh-very special place for him"

"How so?"

"Because" Ghost's breath voice was barely a whisper that brushed over her neck "It's the place where it all began..."

"Where _what_ began?" Mina inhaled sharply, doing he best to ignore her now racing heart as a pair of black gloved hands slid over her bare shoulders.

"Batman…me…you…your pal _Jack_ " Ghost's voice was almost a deep (still scrambled) silken purr into her ear, his hands sliding upwards towards her red-

Mina's fingers suddenly scratched into his gloved wrists and he winced in pain.

"Sorry Phantom of the Opera" she snarled, her sharp nails digging through the gloves and piercing his skin "I don't mix business with pleasure. If you want a whore, go find one of the waitresses. I daresay they wouldn't mind getting fucked over by a mysterious stranger"

"Tch! I forgot you were feisty" Ghost smirked seemingly half torn between disappointment and approval as he pulled away, though his hands still rested on her shoulders.

"hmmm what's this?" he murmured pulling aside her styled waves to eye her shoulder.

"Just an old scar" Mina shrugged trying her best to remain as still as possible, though she couldn't help the horrible shiver that spread through her as a lone finger ghosted over the crooked mark on her back.

"It's nothing-"

"Doesn't look like nothing" Ghost muttered darkly and Mina was surprised to hear anger lacing the once smug voice.

But she was distracted from addressing him by the buzzing of her phone.

"answer it and put it on speaker" Ghost growled.

Mina would have argued, had it not been for the threatening pair of hands that suddenly placed themselves on her shoulders, dangerously close to her neck.

Rolling her eyes she pulled out her phone from her clutch and set it down on the table

"Hello? This is Mina Poole"

 _"_ _Mina! Mina!"_ a familiar woman's terrified voice all but squeaked into the open air voice spoke worriedly through the receiver. _"Mina! Where are you? Are you safe-"_

Mina tried to speak calmly but her voice shook as it came out in a tumbled rush.

"Mom, I'm fine I'm still at dinner. What's wrong? Where are you?"

" _I'm at home-in the bedroom. It's locked. Oh Mina-Mina! He's here-he's here! He shot Bobby and now-now he's trying to shoot me too-"_

"Who's trying to shoot you mom?!" Mina cried out but Emilia Poole was in hysterics.

" _MINNY PLEASE YOU HAVE TO CALL FOR HELP! PLEASE-PLEASE-"_

There was a loud bang and then Emilia screeched, her scream piercing the air even through the phone's speakers.

"Mom! MOM!" Mina called only to gasp as a high pitched giggling suddenly sounded from the phone.

_I tried so hard, my dear, to show that you're my every dream_

_Yet you're afraid each thing I do is just some evil scheme_

_A memory from your lonesome past keeps us so far apart_

_Why can't I free your doubtful mind and melt your cold, cold heart?_

The voice then suddenly cleared its throat, before continuing to sing, it's voice attempting to retain some melody even through the choked giggles of mirth.

_Another crime before my time made your heart sad and blue_

_And so now you make me pay for things I didn't do_

_In anger unkind words are said that make the teardrops start_

_Why can't I free your doubtful mind and melt your cold, cold heart?_

"That bastard" Mina faintly heard her ghost mutter behind her back, but she was too engrossed in the song to pay him any heed.

_You'll never know how much it hurts to never see you smile_

_You know you need and want to laugh, and you claim that "Not your style"_

_Why do you hide behind that mask?"I'm trying to do my part!"_

_Why can't I free your doubtful mind and melt your cold, cold heart?_

_There was a time when I believed that you belonged to me_

_But now I know your heart is shackled to a memory_

_You won't admit that we're the same and it's tearing me apart_

_Why can't I free your doubtful mind and melt your cold, cold heart?_

The silence that followed was so deafening that Mina could barely move for fear as she breathed:

"You…"

" _Hello Darling. Miss Me?"_

"YOU!" Mina snarled all fear forgotten as anger suddenly flooded through her. "What have you done with my mother?!"

The high pitched voice sighed.

" _Tut-tut Darling, is that any way to talk to an old friend. Memo to myself, I must teach you some proper manners when I see you next_ "

"Not before I teach you not to mess with my mother, asshole. Now let her go!"

" _Or what Darling?"_ the voice turned into a deadly hiss " _You going to call the police? Or the Delusional Dark Knight? Last I checked you and the big old Bat weren't so cozy with one another. And as for this old bat I don't know why you're even bothering with her. It's not as if she's your real mother_ "

"She's real enough for me" Mina barked angrily; though she was betrayed by the one tear that spilled from her eye.

A tear that the man on the other end seemed to notice even if he couldn't see it.

" _OH…Come now Darling you can't obviously expect me to believe that. Hee-hee-hi-hi-hi! You, care about this tiny little liar even though you're spending all your time at that madhouse trying to find the truth? Man…and I thought us inmates were the crazy ones."_

The voice chuckled softly.

" _But seeing as I like you so much Darling, I'm gonna cut you some slack and make you an offer. I have all the answers you want and will give them to you IF and only if, you join me by my side where you belong-"_

"And become another Harley Quinn. No thanks" Mina snarled. "The only way I'll let you tell me anything is if you let my mother go right now."

" _…_ _Let her go?_ " the voice sounded thoughtful " _hmm…If you say so…Come on toots this way_ "

 _"_ _NO-WAIT PLEASE-"_ Emilia Poole shrieked just as Mina cried out.

"What are you doing? I said to let her go!"

" _Oh I am letting her go alright_ " the high pitched voice sneered " _but you never specified where…How does six stories sound to you? Too low? I personally prefer rooftops, much easier than windows. Oh well I suppose I'll have to make do for now-"_

"MOM! NO!"

There was a loud scream, cut short by a loud sickening thud.

Mina froze and was quite sure her heart had stopped in her chest along with her breath. Had it not been for her Ghost's abnormally tight grip on her shoulders she felt she might have fainted there and then as a loud shrill laugh broke the silence.

"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Wow would'ya look at all that red. With all that, even good old Saint Nick won't have a problem finding this house. And to think I was even considering sitting alone in that cell and missing out on celebrating all the Christmas Cheer. Bah-humbug"

There was silence as the laughs suddenly fell away into a silken purr.

"Merry Christmas my Darling…It won't be long till we meet again. I promise."

And with that the line went dead.

* * *

Her date for the evening had yelled at her to calm down and stop.

But she didn't even register his voice.

Her feet were aching and bleeding from blisters in her heels as she ran out of the club and down the road.

But she barely noticed them.

She also had over-payed the cab-driver by at least fifty dollars as she rushed out of his car.

But she didn't notice that either.

All she could focus on was the front of a large apartment building, at which several policemen and paramedics were standing inside and around the yellow tape, warding off the straggles of spectators that were gathered about, talking in hushed horrified whispers.

Amongst them all she could see faintly, a tall dark shadow stalk his way around the taped off area, stopping in spots as another middle aged man talked to him in hushed urgent tones.

It was to this dark figure that Mina all but ran to, ignoring all the cries from all the other officials that were trying to keep her back from the scene as they zipped up the smallish body bag.

"Miss-miss wait-"

Too late.

There was a loud sharp thunk as Mina's small pale fist met a strong chiseled jaw and everyone gasped.

Everyone except the Batman, who reeled back in surprise as the young woman all but screeched in his face, her limbs thrashing wildly at him:

"YOU! YOU! IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU! YOU ASSHOLE WHY COULDN'T YOU HAVE LEFT US ALONE! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO POKE YOUR NOSE IN! THEY WERE ALL SAFE BEFORE YOU CAME ALONG AND RUINED EVERYTHING!"

"Miss-Miss calm down" a weary Commissioner Gordon tried to reach out to grab at Mina, only to be thrown back hard. "Bullock help me get her off-"

"Stand down" Batman's voice was not loud, but it carried all the same. All the policemen, even Gordon and Bullock quickly backed off as the Dark Knight swiftly managed to grab Mina by the wrists and hold her back from him.

"Mina-Mina listen to me, you need to calm down-" he tried to hiss but Mina was in no mood to listen.

"YOU CLAIM TO WANT TO HELP ME BUT WHERE WERE YOU? WHERE THE FUCK WERE YOU WHEN HE PUSHED HER OUT THE FUCKING WINDOW HUH?"

"Wait-How did you-" Batman breathed but was once more cut off by her loud yells.

"BECAUSE SHE CALLED ME! SHE BEGGED FOR HELP! AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MOTHER FUCKING BASTARD DID? HE LAUGHED? THE BASTARD JUST LAUGHED AND THEN….and then he…"

Mina's words were choked, as the sobs finally racked through her, engulfing her as her aching feet finally gave way beneath her.

Gently as he could without letting his firm grip off of her, Batman coaxed her to kneel down on the floor, where she shivered shook and wept, her fists still trying to slap at his chest.

"I hate you" she sobbed softly "I fucking hate you, you-you're a-you're a-a-It's all your fault…all your fault-"

"I know" Batman murmured so quietly, that only she could hear "and I'm sorry Mina…I'm so sorry"

"…no you're not" Mina murmured.

And when she looked back up at him, he saw nothing but pure cold loathing pierce him straight from the depths of those black eyes.

_Good lord…what have I done?_

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dun-dun-DUUN!
> 
> :0 woah. and here i thought i was gonna have a happy chapter released during the holiday season. Well i suppose this will have to do (maybe my other fics will be happier).
> 
> Anyways for the past week of my leave i've been chilling out and catching up on some much needed gaming, Including finishing up my game of Arkham Origins (where this version of the song in this chapter is played during the credits) before watching Dark Knight while i wait for another game to load :P.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed, review if you want more and ALSO enjoy your holidays.
> 
> MERRY XMAS Everyone!


	11. Call Me Maybe

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Anybody can become angry — that is easy, but to be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time and for the right purpose, and in the right way — that is not within everybody's power and is not easy.”   
> ― Aristotle

A pair of white gloved hands twirled a red ribbon, round and round so that it twisted snake like over the long fingers.

The only reason such a sight was visible in the darkened room was because the owner of the hands was sitting in an arm chair before a bright old television, on which snippets of the day's news was playing.

A pair of red smeared lips curled upwards at the sight of a young woman with pale blonde hair, trying to beat and thrash at a tall hulking figure on the screen.

Even though the device's sound was muted, the figure in the chair could not help but giggle softly under his breath as the young woman on the screen suddenly fell to her knees, red dress staining with blood and grime off the filthy pavement under her feet.

_Oh Darling, Darling, Darling!_

The Figure in the chair tutted fondly, shaking his head at the screen.

_Hitting the big-old bat. I don't know whether I should be proud of your guts, or disappointed that you're hogging all the fun without me. And speaking of fun…_

He cocked his head a little, his red smile widening maliciously as his thoughts took him far from the sight of the news reader now displaying the rest of the evening news.

_Just where were you playing hide and seek hmm? Your dear daddy didn't say…though maybe that was because I blew his brains out before he could answer. Oh well, I'm sure there are plenty of other shmucks who might know…oh and speaking of shmucks I have a call to make…_

"HARLEY!" a loud voice barked and at once a woman came scurrying excitedly into the room.

She was a bouncy but athletic woman dressed in a tight suit of black and red, with black boots, lots of make up on her face and bright yellow hair held back in two high girlish pigtails.

"Yes Puddin" Harley Quinn simpered slavishly much to her _puddin's_ disgust and amusement, though he hid it behind a smooth dark purr.

"Harley, would you be a dear and get me our dear Doctor Young on the line. I want to make sure our party plan is still on schedule"

"Of course right away puddin'" Harley cooed.

That being said, she was quick to produce a slightly battered up cell-phone from a table close by the large chair, her fingers all but stabbing at the number pad.

As soon as she pressed the call button, the figure in the chair giggled excitedly, like a child trying and failing to hold down his excitement for Christmas.

Indeed it took all he had not to hiss with glee as the call was answered and a woman's voice stuttered into the silent room.

_"H-hello Doctor Young's office"_

"Please hold for Mista White" Harley chirruped much to Doctor Young's shock.

But even as she spluttered her confusion, the phone was snatched from Harley's hand…and the Joker sneered into the receiver.

"Hello Doc…We need to talk…"

* * *

_"This is Vicky Vale reporting live from Miagini Island where it has been confirmed that the Joker has escaped Arkham Asylum and has already begun wreaking havoc. His first targets: the very much loved heart-surgeon Robert Poole and his terminally ill wife Emilia, were found by police when neighbors reported a disturbance last night on Christmas Eve-"_

The Rogues of Gotham are perhaps considered some of the most mentally disturbed criminals in the world. The worst of their crimes even disturb other criminal organizations, mercenaries and even heroes of other cities and countries.

But it wasn't just the craziness that disturbed the world.

No.

It was the fact most of the inmates of C Block had started off as ordinary people living ordinary lives.

Sure there were exceptions to this rule. For one Killer Croc was born into his scaly condition (which in turn was mocked and shunned by society) and no one knew _how_ the Joker even began on his mad escapade of chaos (what with all the intricate weave of lies he could summon at the drop of a hat).

And in time everyone in Gotham, Rogues and civilians alike, had come to accept that there were some stories that might never see the light of day.

However this just made stories that could come out into the light all the more exciting to hear, especially when the Rogue's themselves were depraved of entertainment.

Indeed there was much pushing and shoving as nearly all the remaining four members of C-Block jostled for a position on the old moth eaten couch in the C Block Rec Room so they could feast their eyes on Gotham's newest and juiciest story.

_"-Not much is known why the Joker has suddenly decided to personally make house-calls at this time of year and the GCPD are currently declining any further comments-"_

The blonde news presenter stated, doing her best to stay somber only for her excitement to leak through the cracks in her painted face.

The effect was enough to make Edward Nygma cringe.

"The fools! Of course they won't comment because the dithering imbeciles can't catch him in the first place"

"By _dithering imbeciles_ I assume you're including the Bat" Jonathan Crane folded his arms, his expression grim. "Because this time Joker and Quinn really looked like they meant business. Especially Joker-"

"Yes and speaking of the Clown Prince of Crime-" a sultry voice cut across Crane's grating tones and all turned to see Poison Ivy lean against the back of the couch. "Hasn't anyone noticed that he's been acting odd recently"

"Define _odd_ my dear" Crane droned as he turned back to the television screen "Because even I have yet to be surprised by _any_ of that clown's antics, including this one"

"Even so March Hare…this is a sad burden for poor Alice to bear" the short form of Jervis Tetch all but sagged sadly in his spot next to his colleague "'But it's no use now,' thought poor Alice, 'to pretend to be two people! Why, there's hardly enough of me left to make one respectable person!'"

"Oh what is he blathering about now?" Ivy groaned her eyes as Crane sighed heavily.

"I think he feels sorry for his Alice's predicament. He says he thinks she's going to be only half the person she was after this."

"And his _new_ Alice is-"

"Mina Poole" Edward snorted, though the smirk was quick to fall from his face as he scratched his chin and murmured "Poor kid-and it had to be Joker that screwed her family up-"

"What was that Edward I didn't quite catch that?" Ivy snorted and Edward rolled his eyes.

"What's what?"

"Oh don't play coy Eddie." The villainess's luscious red lips curled in a wickedly alluring smirk as she leaned over the Riddler from the back of the couch. "We all know of your attempts to ahem-what was it that he said again Jonathan?"

She quirked a brow at Crane, who's lip curled.

"I believe it was to _help_ get past his most _boring_ therapy yet"

"Hark whose talking _Crane_ " Edward snapped waspishly, ears turning the slightest shade of pink "As if none of us have noticed your oh-so-helpful little tutoring sessions you've given the girl"

Now it was Crane's turn to bristle uncomfortably as Jervis giggled nervously from between him and the Riddler.

"Now-now Doormouse, March Hare that's quite enough of that. If you keep fighting, you'll miss Alice and the Bat."

"What bat?" Crane clipped but was quickly tugged by the arm to look back at the television screen on which shaky footage was being played of a pale slender figure in red storming right up to a large hulking dark figure amidst a swarm of police.

"Well…the little garden weed certainly has guts I'll give her that" Ivy pursed her lips torn between smirking and scowling as Mina Poole's small fist collided with the nose of the Dark Knight's cowl.

"Not as much as what's going to come next" Edward smirked pointing at the screen just as a feminine voice shrieked from it:

_"YOU! YOU! IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF YOU! YOU ASSHOLE WHY COULDN'T YOU HAVE LEFT US ALONE! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO POKE YOUR NOSE IN! THEY WERE ALL SAFE BEFORE YOU CAME ALONG AND RUINED EVERYTHING!"_

There was a struggle as two men came up and tried to manhandle the hysterical young woman who was thrashing out at the Batman who, for some reason the four Rogues could not fathom, was looking like the stuffing had just been knocked out of him though he looked completely unscathed.

"Guilt" Crane murmured in response to the unasked question hanging solemnly in the air between them all.

"pardon?" Edward, Jervis and Ivy quirked their eyebrows at him.

"The Dark Knight" he muttered darkly as he watched said vigilante on the TV try to calm down the grieving woman "He's guilty for letting this happen. He feels responsible for her wellbeing. But he also knows that there's really nothing more he can do for her without pushing her to the brink"

And indeed even as he said this Mina's voice screeched from the speakers.

_"YOU CLAIM TO WANT TO HELP ME BUT WHERE WERE YOU? WHERE THE FUCK WERE YOU WHEN HE PUSHED HER OUT THE FUCKING WINDOW HUH?"_

There was a soft growling mutter as Batman stilled in shock but Mina just kept going.

_"BECAUSE SHE CALLED ME! SHE BEGGED FOR HELP! AND DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MOTHER FUCKING BASTARD DID? HE LAUGHED? THE BASTARD JUST LAUGHED AND THEN….and then he…"_

There was a silence in the Rec-Room as all four rogues watched the young woman sink to her knees sobbing violently, their faces all stiff and stricken.

Because all the craziness they had been diagnosed with, for all their heinous crimes they have committed, for all their bitterness they now held towards normal society…they too knew some form of empathy…

Especially when they saw the birth of someone just like them.

* * *

There were three times in Mina's life where she felt as empty as a shell.

The first was when she had been found in that nightclub all those years ago. That had been because she had been surrounded in a room full of dead bodies.

The second time she had been thirteen years old and her favorite pet dog (a small long haired dachshund) had died after being run over by a drunk driver while she was trying to walk it.

And now came the third time, her adoptive parents murdered by the Joker himself, for reasons even she knew nothing about.

Three times she had lost something precious…three times fate had fucked her over.

And so she sat, motionless and silent on the chair in the corridor outside Commissioner Gordon's office…that was until her phone buzzed in her pocket.

On autopilot she pulled it out and answered it, her voice all but dead and hollow.

"Hello"

" _Where the hell are you_?" A deep scrambled voice growled gruffly into her ear.

"The GCPD." Mina responded mechanically.

" _Okay, good._ … _How are you holding up?"_

"My mother and father both got murdered by that mother-fucking clown and his bitch. How do you think I'm holding up?" Mina spat into the receiver, doing her best to hold down the sudden blaze of fury that flared in her chest. Ghost however just stayed calm.

" _Are you alone?"_

"yes… but I'm outside the Commissioner's office"

_"Is Batman there?"_

"He's inside with Gordon" Mina's teeth gritted. "Though if I see his stupid black cowl again I might just shoot him"

" _I don't blame you. But now's not the time to hurt the bat"_ Ghost snorted quietly " _He's arranging with Gordon to get you some protection"_

"I don't need protection. Least of all from _him_ " Mina hissed venomously "Besides he's-"

" _You should take it"_ Ghost steamrolled over her and when she spluttered he growled " _Just listen to me alright. Batman is an asshole. But he's an asshole with contacts that can keep you safe. Right now Joker's sent some men to your home to look for you."_

Mina's heart sank like a stone.

Crap…she'd forgotten about her own flat. Dingy and small…and the current residence of all her work from the-

" _Don't worry"_ Ghost's voice seemed to smirk on the other end " _I took the liberty of removing your laptop and files from the apartment before the clowns could get in. I'll get it all back to you once you're settled into a safe-house_ "

"And you've finished looking through them" Mina growled.

" _And waste my time? Trust me woman, there is nothing in those files I didn't already know"_ Ghost snorted " _But enough of that. The point is you need to keep your head low for a while till Joker and Quinn are caught. Take whatever safety you can get from Gordon and the Bat and any crazy that owes you favors inside the Asylum. Because you are seriously gonna need it."_

"And my safety matters to you because?" Mina growled softly.

For a moment Ghost's end was silent, save for his slightly distorted breathing. And though she couldn't see his face, Mina could tell he was doing some quick thinking.

When he spoke again, his voice was slightly softer and more measured.

" _I'll send you a number. Call it once you're at the safe house."_

And before Mina could even say another word, there was a beep, and the call cut off.

* * *

"I know you probably want to keep an eye on her, but I think its best if you keep your distance this time. No offence but I think she's going to try and shoot you if she sees you again" Gordon hissed and Batman's jaw clenched.

Normally he would've rallied at once with an even more logical point, but this time even he could not argue with his ally, not when he was so right.

Mina Poole might have hated police but she hated the Batman even more. And the Dark Knight did not want to add to her troubles by having her arrested for attempting to kill him on the premises of the GCPD.

Therefore with a great deal of effort on his part, he grit his teeth and nodded stiffly.

"I'll continue the search for Joker and Quinn with Robin."

"and we'll continue searching on the ground as well." Gordon sighed to himself with relief as he turned to his drink's cabinet "Just my luck that Joker decides to break out at Christmas. Just what is he playing at this time?"

"He made his first debut appearance at Christmas, thirteen years ago" Batman growled. "The date has always held some significance to him"

"And the girl?" Gordon's weathered eyes hardened as he took a small sip of the glass of scotch.

"Nothing for certain" Batman admitted gruffly. "Only guesses and hints with no proof"

"He seems to have quite the obsession over her though" Gordon set down his glass to the side. "and this time it's different to all the other people he's personally targeted. Most of them had business dealings, but Mina-"

"had no previous connection or meeting with him" Batman finished gravely "Whatever Joker wants with her it's definitely more than just business."

Gordon folded his arms thoughtfully but

"Hmmm…it could be a grudge. She was working at the Asylum after all. Maybe she crossed him-"

"No" Batman snapped before pulling himself back quickly "No…Mina was kept out of Joker's way by her bosses at Arkham. And besides if what the guards at Arkham say is true, then Joker's been planning this breakout for a long time"

"He just needed the right excuse" Gordon nodded. "But that still doesn't change the fact that the girl's in danger. He knew where her parents lived, it's safe to say that he knows where she lives-"

"He does." Batman nodded his fists tightening ever so slightly though he mastered himself quickly. "But what he doesn't know is that Bruce Wayne still owes you a favor from last year"

There was a moment in which Gordon blinked in confusion. Then it hit him…though it did not improve his mood.

"You think that would work?" the Commissioner grunted before adding quickly "I-I mean I'm sure Wayne wouldn't mind. He's usually helpful in situations like this. But-"

But even as Gordon turned round the dark shadow of the bat was gone from the window.

"Hmph! Typical" he grunted, setting the glass of scotch back down on his desk. "Guess I've got to make a couple of calls then"

* * *

Doctor Hugo Strange had seen a lot of amazing things in his life and studies.

But none of those incredible accomplishments could compare to the sight that met him as he gazed at the two vials of blood held securely in the sterile box he had received them in.

He turned to his assistant, a meek gangly young man in a large lab coat and clipped:

"Take these samples to the lab and begin processing them at once."

"Yes sir" the assistant gulped as he gingerly took the now shut box and walked away doing his best to ignore the piercing stare of his boss who stared at him long after he had gone back into the lab.

If these two vials were what he thought they were, he would be closer than any other living being had ever been, in solving one of Arkham Asylum's greatest mysteries.

Oh if his hypothesis was right…he could become one of the most powerful men in all of Gotham!

Hugo Strange's lips slid upwards into a gleeful smirk.

_Not long now…then we'll know-_

His phone rang.

"Hugo Strange speaking" Doctor Strange responded in clinical but polite fashion, though his face was a scowl.

" _Hello Doc. It's been a while_ "

Strange froze.

That voice…high…cold…giggling voice…

"You" the doctor growled anger coursing through his veins "Give me one reason why I shouldn't call the police right now"

The voice on the other end giggled.

" _One reason huh? Would a magic trick count?"_

"Magic what?" Strange's grip on the phone tightened but the giggle only became louder in his ear.

_"Oh just a simple trick really. You see that lab of yours over there…the third door on the left yes? Well I'm gonna to make that room…disappear"_

Strange didn't even have time to blink.

BANG!

One moment he was standing alone in his clean sterile lab corridor, the next, he was on his hands and kneesas he coughed and choked on smoke and smog whilst a loud alarm blared and fire sprinklers drenched him with water.

He struggled on the floor, ears ringing even as he scrambled to pick up his phone which was still miraculously working and still projecting the loud piercing giggles, which had now turned into shrieking cackles of ruthless mirth

_"Ta-daa! It's... it's gone! HA-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Happy Holidays Doc! HI-HIHIHIHIHIHIHIHEEE!"_

"One day…One day…" Strange snarled as the call was switched off on the other end of the line "One day I'll find out what's behind that smile of yours. And I'll crush it… _Joker…_ "

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys. so another chapter is up after a long lousy week of computer problems (trust all my electrical devices to die around the new year) seriously it's like each machine of mine sensed it was the end of 2015 and decided "nope! sorry loser don't feel like working anymore" and then they died.
> 
> Oh well...now most of the problems are fixed and i can hopefully get back down to work.
> 
> And on that note...ahem...HAPPY BELATED NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
> 
> hope you enjoyed and keep reviewing for more


	12. The Devil's Number

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “There is a charm about the forbidden that makes it unspeakably desirable.”   
> ― Mark Twain

_Rain…why is it always raining in this goddamn cesspit?_

Mina Poole shook her head as she looked out the tinted car window.

Two hours had passed since she'd been discharged from the GCPD. She would've gotten out sooner, had the vultures (aka the Gotham press reporters) not been crowding around the entrance to the police headquarters, and hounding her as she stepped into the police car manned by Commissioner Gordon himself.

"Just keep your head down and eyes straight ahead. It'll pass" the Commissioner had said, his eyes full of pity.

But Mina only acknowledged his concern with a small derisive snort and resorted to staring blankly out of the car window like a bored teenager while her mind wandered to every topic imaginable…

Like the infamous miserable Gotham weather.

Each drop of rain was as big as a bullet, and it hit the window just as hard as one too. The clouds over the city were so dark that they almost blocked out all light from the sinking evening sun, which finally vanished as the car was driven into the basement parking of a very tall, very expensive looking building.

Mina barely heard (nor did she care) for the comforting but cautious words spoken to her as she felt a small buzz in her pocket. Quietly and as subtly as she dared under Gordon's watchful gaze, she snuck a glance at her cell phone where a message had popped up.

_How far are you from the safe house? – Ghost_

_Just arrived in carpark. I'll keep you posted. —M.P._

There was a small pause in which Mina chanced a peek at Gordon through the corner of her eye. His gaze thankfully was fully focused on surveying their new surroundings for potential threats and he didn't notice her quickly tuck her phone back into her pocket.

"I'll get out first" he grunted gruffly as he cautiously made to open his side of the car, before opening hers.

Mina rolled her eyes, as she was led up through a back stairwell and into the back of a spacious lobby where several lifts were in operation going up.

"This whole building is owned by Bruce Wayne and is fitted with the latest security technology his company has produced, so you can be sure your new apartment will be secured while you stay here." Gordon muttered as soon as the lift doors shut on him and his charge.

"However that still doesn't mean that we can sit back and twiddle our thumbs. Mister Wayne and I have also arranged for you to have a bodyguard for whenever you leave the building"

"Well if that doesn't say ' _shoot me I'm a red bullseye_ ' I don't know what does" Mina grunted under her breath.

Commissioner Gordon ignored her. Two days of having her in police custody he'd grown used to her brusque mannerisms…even if they did grate on his nerves somewhat.

"I know. That's why your bodyguard will be working undercover as your colleague. We've already gotten him a position as a security guard at Arkham Asylum, plus we've set him up in the apartment right next door to you so you can both carpool with one another at the beginning and end of the day"

"What fun" Mina rolled her eyes as the lift finally came to a stop on the thirteenth floor.

Like the lobby below the long hallway she entered was expensive looking. Polished wooden floors, clean white freshly painted walls on which art-nouveau inspired lights had been distributed evenly and refined between tall wooden doors each one numbered from the numerals sixty to seventy-two.

It was to number sixty-six, the sixth and last door on the far end of the corridor that Mina was led to with her red suitcase in one hand and her thick black coat in the other.

As soon as they were in front of it, Gordon raised a hand to knock.

Mina frowned curiously, wondering why the commissioner didn't just use the security access key she had seen him finger in his hands.

But then she heard the voices coming from inside the door.

"I'm not sure whether this is wise or not Bruce. I mean, the manor is more than safe enough-"

"I've told you Tim, the manor is too obvious a place for the Joker to start looking. Especially if the press starts snooping around-"

_Rat-tat-tat!_

The voices stopped abruptly as Commissioner Gordon hissed through the door.

"Mister Wayne?"

There was the shuffling of feet on wood, a pause, then the door opened and Bruce Wayne himself poked his head through the door.

"Oh it's just you Commissioner," he sighed in relief, though it was quickly stifled at the sight of Mina standing behind Gordon, her eyebrows raised.

"Mister Wayne" she ground through gritted teeth.

"Miss Poole" Bruce Wayne's eyes were sympathetic as they rested on her. "I am sorry for your loss."

"Thank you Mister Wayne" Mina grunted.

"I met your parents at the Gotham General's charity gala last year" Bruce's voice was low and soft "It was only a brief meeting but from what I remember they were very kind and honest people."

Mina nodded, unable to speak for the terrible lump in the back of her throat. A lump that Bruce seemed to notice.

But as her jet black eyes caught his sharp blue gaze… Mina stopped in her tracks.

She knew those eyes…

She had seen them before.

Seen them when she had been young and small…two orbs of cerulean blue that had flickered from behind the lenses of a shadowy black horned cowl, as a pair of hands lifted her out of a dirty wooden crate.

She had also seen them when she had been at Arkham when she had been looking for Kellerman's notes in his office…

Bruce stiffened, his back tensing, and Mina was sure that even if he didn't show it, he knew what she was seeing.

"Shall we continue this conversation inside? I daresay you'll want to see your new apartment" he clipped as politely as he could muster, but Gordon could see the billionaire's jaw stiffen uncomfortably as he stepped aside to allow both of them into the apartment.

It wasn't an overly large apartment, but it was still way bigger and more refined than the small dingy flat she had been renting in downtown Gotham.

The living, dining and kitchen areas were all open planned and were furnished in modern black and white and brown wooden furniture, with modern appliances all assembled neat and ready to use.

At the far end of the large space was a glass paned wall which led out onto a small clean balcony with a high railing whilst on the far right wall two doors were open showing off a moderately sized bathroom and a large bedroom…from which a man had just walked out of.

He was young, or at least he was a little bit younger than Mina, with short brown hair and a well-muscled form and a rather serious face.

"Well the security system in the bedroom is secure." The stranger nodded to both Bruce and Gordon who nodded, the former turning to address Mina.

"Miss Poole this is my ward, Tim Drake. Tim, this is Mina Poole"

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Tim reached forwards for a handshake which Mina accepted rather mechanically as he said.

"I'm sorry to hear about your parents."

"Don't be. The only one who should be sorry is that bastard clown" Mina didn't even bother to hide the anger that was bubbling in her gut.

She couldn't help it.

She should have known…how could she have been so stupid?!

The fancy tank car, the cape, the cowl, the armoured suit, the almost classified-army grade weapons and gadgets. Who else in this godforsaken city would have access to such resources or security?

And the goddamn balcony!

Mina barely heard the three men conversing in soft gruff tones behind her back as she strode over to look at the balcony through the glass door.

Of course he'd give her an apartment with a balcony. It was the only place he could easily sneak in from the rooftops of the nearby buildings.

_That f-ing bastard! He's got me right under his thumb._

"Uh…Miss Poole…Mina" Gordon gulped as Mina turned her pair of dark scathing eyes on him, though she was quick to mask it under a tired sigh.

"Sorry Commissioner…just tired. It's been a long week"

"You can say that again." Tim muttered under his breath only for Bruce to shoot a stern look. Once the younger man took a step back, he held out his hand. "shall we take a small tour then."

"Whatever you say" Mina grumbled but nonetheless followed as graciously as she could, doing her best to ignore the buzz that she felt once again in her pocket.

But when all three men turned their backs on her she quickly flicked out her phone and saw her Ghost's new message.

 _Text me the safe house address on this phone then delete the message before they make you chuck it._ – _Ghost_

Scowling her fingers quickly and quietly skimmed over the touchscreen.

_I'm in Lacey Towers, Coventry, New Gotham, sixth floor, room sixty-six. Now stop texting me. Gordon's getting suspicious. - MP_

* * *

A pair of white gloved hands drummed impatiently against the arms of the old wooden rocking chair their owner was sitting on.

It wasn't a comfortable chair, but it was better than nothing. Besides it wasn't as if he could find another one quite like it. It was one of a kind…just like _him._

A pair of red painted lips smirked cruelly as two green eyes surveyed the old television screen that was flickering in front of them. On it the front of a building was being rabidly photographed and filmed by a mass of reporters who were all fighting to cram their way over to a female police officer who was trying and failing to keep them calm.

But she was of no interest to the one in the chair.

"Come-out come out wherever you are!" a high pitched voice crooned as the eyes scanned the screen. But no matter how many times those eyes swept over the vision before him, the target of their search was nowhere to be found.

"So you're playing hide and seek again darling? Tut-tut! Now that's very naughty y'know, unless…" the voice trailed off as the red lips curved downwards into a small frown

"Hmm…now what have we got here?"

The eyes flickered back to the screen and narrowed as it caught sight of one of the people in the crowd. A person wearing a dark red hooded sweater that obscured his face as he quietly slipped away from the scene, as he tucked a small gun in his pocket.

* * *

The sky outside new uptown apartment was dark by the time Mina had finished unpacking the boxes from her old flat. Not that there was much to unpack to begin with.

If there was one thing Mina prized herself on more than her own brains, it was her practicality. In all her years growing up she had never owned more than what she needed. Even when she could afford to rent her own place she had never cared to decorate or refurnish it to suit her whims or fancies. A flat was a flat and in Gotham if you could even afford a one roomed hole in the wall you never settled down for long. Especially if a madman was after your blood.

And speaking of madman…

She scowled as she turned towards the television screen, which was once again showcasing her adoptive parents' murders on the news.

Her hands curled into fists as the footage of her punching the Dark Knight's face came up on screen.

_That big ass!_

She growled under her breath as she violently jabbed at the TV remote and switched the channel.

No…she did not even want to think of him at the moment, not when he had her completely under his watchful eye.

Him and his little minion, Robin. Though oddly enough it was not the Robin she remembered from her one-time encounter during the Firefly incident. That Robin had been slightly stockier and had a full head of hair that was black, not like the brown faint fuzz that grew over this _boy's_ thick skull.

She sank back in her chair groaning as the news on this new channel suddenly showcased even more footage of said vigilante and sidekick, this time with live footage of that night's events.

"Well what do y'know, looks like the dark-dickhead has got a busy night ahead of himself." Mina muttered to herself as a mug shot of what appeared to be a gigantic mud monster filled the screen along with the usual cautionary warnings to the general public.

Snorting derisively Mina prized herself from her comfy spot on the couch to make her way over to the fridge in the open kitchen. It had been stocked full of food, both organic and pre-packaged but she wasn't interested in eating.

"Bastard, should've known" Mina snorted as she rifled through what appeared to be a small mini bar under the kitchen island, only to see that it was completely empty.

Sighing, she resigned herself to wander back to the couch, only to jump in surprise and bang her head on a cabinet door as her (new) phone rang.

"Fucking shit" she cursed, one hand clutching her throbbing head as the other groped around on the kitchen counter.

Eventually she flipped out the damned device and swiped it unlocked to see that the sender's id was blocked.

She froze as it continued to ring wondering if she should answer.

On one hand it could be the Joker, calling her to taunt or threaten her, or worse the Bat himself. Her hands clenched on the device painfully. Oh if that bastard started calling her in the middle of the night-

_Could be Gordon calling to check up on you_

A much calmer voice in her head reasoned, quickly placating her fury.

_He was very worried when he left you here alone this afternoon._

Mina paused digesting this thought. Gordon wasn't a bad man…he was a stupid one if he trusted the safety of his city to a man who flew around in in black tights and a cowl, but at the core he was not a bad person.

Not that that made Mina feel any better about answering his calls.

She wasn't a child that needed minding after all.

Nonetheless she reluctantly picked up the call and spoke into the receiver.

"Hello?"

" _I got your message. Are you alone?"_ a deep scrambled voice spoke in hushed tones.

"Yeah…just finished unpacking my stuff. B-but wait just a second…" she mumbled, her eyes peeking around the ceiling corners, where sure enough a small security camera was winking it's red recording light on her in the dark.

Needless to say she kept her voice as soft as possible as she quietly slid into the bathroom, the only room in the house she knew for certain was not being watched or recorded.

"Sorry, I had to find a safe spot to talk. There's a lot of cameras in here."

_"_ _Which room are you currently in?"_

"Bathroom."

 _"_ _Good."_ Though his voice was scrambled, Mina could almost hear the small appreciative smirk from his end of the phone though it was quickly snuffed with his next sentence " _I have your shit from Arkham. I'll bring it to you now, seeing as Batman will be too busy to play catch up with you tonight."_

"What about the cameras?"

" _Don't worry, I'll take care of them._ _Actually…wait…what's your favourite kind of pizza?"_

Mina blinked.

"Uh…pardon?"

" _Pizza._ " Ghost growled irritably almost as if it were as embarrassing for him as it was for her. " _What kind. I'll bring some over with your stuff. I can't imagine you're in the mood to cook with all that's going on"_

"Pff! Only too true." Mina snorted but her smile softened sadly as fond memories of her mother prepping the Christmas dinner floated across her mind, though she was quick to swat them away.

"Pepperoni and cheese…new-yorker style. And bring some beer whilst you're at it. God knows I could do with some booze."

" _You do know I'm not really a delivery guy."_ Ghost grunted, but Mina barely paid his tone any heed as she chuckled hollowly.

"on second thought make it a bottle of vodka. I'm gonna need it if I wanna sleep tonight. And add some midori to that too, or maybe some-"

 _"_ _Fine-fine I'll bring you booze."_ Ghost growled irritably. _"But not the heavy stuff. I need to talk to you. Face to face before you go back to Arkham."_

"About what? Business or pleasure?" Mina smirked scathingly but was surprised when she heard him all but purr.

" _both. Though between you and me I prefer the latter"_

 _"_ So do I…" she smirked but then she frowned "But how will I know it's you at the door and not Joker?"

Ghost seemed to tense up on his end as he hissed.

_"_ _Because I won't kill you when I set my eyes on you."_

"Neither will Joker." Mina scowled "from what I've been able to gather from Gordon and Bat-for-brains, Joker wants me alive. I don't know why so don't even bother asking." She added as she heard a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line.

But Ghost it seemed wasn't going to press the matter further and it was with an almost gentler growl that he grunted.

" _I'll be at your place in an hour. Just keep the lights as dim as possible and keep Gordon's gun on you just in case."_

"What makes you think I'd steal a coppers gun?" Mina whispered, her eyes narrowing on the bathroom door as her Ghost chuckled on the other end.

" _Because that's what I would've done in your position. You have one hour Mina. Oh and by the way,"_ he added his scrambled voice dipping an octave lower _"wear something nice."_

"don't I always" Mina smirked as the connection broke with a small beep.

* * *

_"_ _Master Bruce? Master Tim? Are you there."_

"We hear you loud and clear Alfie" Robin smirked, glancing sidelong to the driver's seat where Batman was seated.

The dark knight's eyes were narrowed as he glared to the small screen set in the centre of the batmobile's dashboard, where the face of Alfred Pennyworth looked grimly up at the dynamic duo. Normally he would appreciate Alfred's efforts and help, but he could tell the old butler was not calling him up to discuss his latest case.

A case that involved Basil Karlo, aka the Clayface, who had just vanished into the sewers after a gruelling brawl and now had to be tracked down before he could wreak any more havoc on the city. Therefore, it was to nobody's surprise that Batman was rather gruff in his answer to his faithful butler.

"What is it Alfred?"

" _Master Bruce it's about Miss Poole. It seems she has taken it upon herself to order take out for the night?"_

"And is important how?" Robin quirked a brow, and Alfred bristled uncomfortably.

" _It seems she has invited the delivery man in for what can only be described as a late night_ _ **rendezvous**_ _."_

"did you get a good look at the man's face on the cameras?" Batman growled but Alfred just shook his head.

_"_ _No I did not. Miss Poole has quite cleverly manipulated the lights in her apartment. They're just too dim for a normal camera to get a good read, and too bright for any of the night vision ones to capture a clear image"_

"What about sound? Did you at least get a recording?" Robin asked, his face paling slightly as he caught sight of his mentor's knuckles clench tight over the batmobile's steering mechanisms even as the butler dryly scoffed:

_"_ _Apart from the usual animalistic sounds that are the pre-cursor to human coitus, I could hear nothing of actual value."_

"She's testing the security around her" Batman snorted. "she knows we're keeping watch, she just wants to know how to hide what she doesn't want us to see. Also she's trying to deter us from checking in on her."

" _Or she's just a scared young woman trying to forget about her troubles for one night"_ Alfred clipped fixing his charge with a stern glower of his own as he said:

_"_ _Master Bruce, I understand you are concerned for her safety, but don't you think you're reading too far into this young woman. True she is brilliant, and if I may say so, deadly, but at the end of the day she didn't ask to be put in this situation. In fact, most of the reports you've gathered on her point to the psyche of someone who is trying to stay out of conflict for self-preservation's sake. Not instigate it."_

"The reports also point to the fact that she is a very good manipulator Alfred" Batman hissed through gritted teeth as he glanced sidelong at Robin. "especially when she has her target in her sights"

"And what's that supposed to mean?" the boy wonder scoffed, but Batman's eyes narrowed, if possible, even more on him.

"It means that Bruce Wayne and Tim Drake can't be seen associating with her anymore."

"What do you mean, not associate with her? We have to get close if we're gonna-Oh…OH" Robin's eyes widened as sudden realisation kicked in. "Oh crap…you're kidding? No…there's no way she could've-"

"She did Tim"

"B-But how-"

"I don't know" Batman sighed, more to himself than to anyone else.

A mud-monster on the loose and Mina Poole throwing him off her scent. This was going to be a long night

* * *

She wasn't quite sure how she'd ended up like this.

True she had dressed only in a little skimpy white silk slip to answer the door. And yes she might have slipped in a few innuendos into her greeting.

But how the hell did that lead her to sitting astride her mysterious secret employer and grinding herself against him whilst he kissed and suckled greedily at her neck?

"Your files and laptop are in the bag under the pizzas" a deep voice groaned into her collarbone, as a pair of rough gloved hands dug deliciously into her thighs.

"Well aren't you a good delivery boy" she snorted sarcastically delivering a little nip onto his exposed ear. "I really should give you a big tip for your good service"

She couldn't quite see her ghost's face. She'd after all kept the place dimly lit and he had quickly chosen the couch facing away from most of the room's light both artificial and natural. But even so, she could tell he had fairly strong features…or at least a strong jaw and rough lips that were currently working their way down to her breasts.

The moan that left her was soft as he worried the sensitive skin with his mouth, whilst his hands pulled her hips flush against his own so that she could feel a bulge graze against her through rough jeans.

"Fucking hell" she heard him groan as she rolled her hips into him, using her weight so she could lean down, her hand reaching down to the side of the couch and gently flicking a button.

At once the couch back began to recline backwards as a long leg rest stretched out beneath them.

"Might as well be comfortable while we discuss _business_ "

"What do you ungh-want to know?" Ghost gasped and Mina felt a surge of savage pride coarse through her as she pinned him down. Finally, after all this time she had the upper hand over this mysterious sunovabitch…or at least she felt like she had the upper hand. She knew quite well that those muscled arms could very well break her hold and break her if they so wished it.

But instead her Ghost let her hover over him, his face masked by the dark shadows of the dark blue hood of the sweater he had kept drawn up over his face.

"why do you want to kill the Batman?"

"The same reason you want to kill him" Ghost rumbled, his hands trailing appreciatively down her sides, following her willowy curves. "he ruined my life… And the life I could've had. As did Joker"

The corners of Mina's mouth twitched downwards for a fraction of a second, but she was quick to master herself. No…now was not the time for anger, no now was the time to get some answers.

"Why did you want to hire me?" she whispered, her lips ghosting over his chin in a soft moan as his fingers kneaded themselves into her thighs as they slid the hem of her shift up over her hips.

"Why not" Ghost's words were slurred against her earlobe as he felt her slender fingers trail down the front of his stomach. "you're one of the few people in this cesspit who actually knows how to work your way around a corrupt system."

"But this is Gotham city" Mina purred as she quietly undid the button and zip of his jeans and slipped her hand beneath them "surely you could find plenty of women who know how to _work their way around the system_ "

She gripped at the bare flesh under the pants and was pleased by the loud groan, only to gasp herself as a hand gripped her ass and pushed her down flush against her ghost, who murmured against her lips.

"True…but you're not like those other women. They just want to work the system for more money and power. But you, you're just like me. We don't need status or power. We just want the truth even if it is more often painful to deal with"

"How very poetic"

"But I'm right aren't I?"

"…yes…yes you are" Mina murmured and then she gave in to his hold.

Their movements were slow but savage, for there was no tenderness between the two bodies. Everything was just pure unadulterated desire, almost bestial in its ferocity as Mina and her ghost all but buried themselves within one another, their movements quickly falling in sync like hard beats on a drum.

Over and over again, the strikes between them growing wilder with each undulation of their hips as they pressed their flesh together. They didn't bother removing their other clothes. That would waste too much time and both were greedy for the feel of fulfilment as they climbed towards that dangerously high peak and-

The groan they both shared was soft, barely rising high enough in volume to be heard over the thunder and rain outside. But it was enough to make all the cameras in the room blink off

Not that either of them noticed.

* * *

"You know for someone whose parents were just murdered you sure seem quite active"

"Says the man who's killed many people simply because they were too stupid to answer riddles."

Normally Edward Nygma "The Riddler" would've scowled and berated the one who'd dared to talk back to him with many a harsh riddle and perhaps a maiming. However, considering the person currently giving him the stink eye was none other than the enigmatic Mina Poole he was willing to let it slide.

Especially when he was eyeing the small but prominent hickey peeking out from just under the collar of her chiffon blouse.

"Engaging in the pleasures of the flesh then? I'm surprised. I'd have thought you to be more of a bookish person when idle" he quirked a brow, secretly enjoying the way the young woman bristled for just a split second before clipping:

"We all have needs that we need to fulfil. Some mental some physical. And at present I _need_ to begin your patient interview so I can get paid my salary before my boss comes."

"Hmm…Riddle me this, what can be high one moment, low another and as fickle as-"

"I'm not acting moody!" Mina snapped before she could stop herself, only to clamp her mouth tight in shock and horror.

_SHIT! Shit-shit-shit-shit-shit! Way to go Mina. First day back at work and you go break rule number one!_

Rule number one, as the other psychologists called it at Arkham, was never let a patient, rogue or otherwise, see you personally get affected by their antics. You never know when they'll use it against you.

Therefore, she was not surprised and furious with herself when she saw the Riddler's face quickly morph into a tiny smug smirk as he pressed his fingers together thoughtfully.

"Well I'm impressed. You actually guessed the answer before I finished the question. Not many other people can do that" he added in a derisive undertone that was clearly meant for his own pondering, but Mina responded him all the same.

"Well I'm not like many other people" she sighed running a hand through her blonde hair. "I'm sorry. That was…unprofessional of me. It's just…it's just been a long week"

There was a moments silence as Edward stared at Mina, his eyes widened slightly in surprise.

Of all the people in this Asylum, Mina Poole was the last person the riddling rogue had ever expected to ever apologise to him. Not that many people ever did grant him an apology…

_Oh get over yourself! The kid did just lose her family to Joker._

And speaking of the clown prince of crime…

"I saw what happened on the news" Edward murmured in what he hoped were calm thoughtful concerned tones and was pleased to see her pause mid step. "I can only imagine how horrible it all must before you"

"You don't have to imagine. You already know" Mina snorted as she slammed herself back into her chair. "and quit speaking to me like you're the shrink. I've already gotten enough of that crap from Crane this morning."

"Oh really? And just what were his questions?" Edward's eyes narrowed, but Mina only scowled darkly.

"The same usual crap most others have been asking me. How are you feeling? It must have been difficult? Are you sure you're alright to be working in your condition?"

"that's all?" Edward's eyebrows shot upwards. "No questions about how afraid you were, or what kind of fear you were feeling at that present moment?"

Mina frowned as she digested his query.

"No" she answered after a brief pause. "Now that you mention it, his questions were almost downright normal. Though why he would change his usual antics for an event like this…and for that matter what on earth would anybody, even the Joker want with me?"

She glanced up at the Riddler with narrowed eyes as he once again began drumming his fingers together in thoughtful smugness.

"Riddle me this," he smirked "If you break me, I do not stop working, If you touch me I may be snared, If you lose me Nothing will matter. What am I?"

"What does my heart have anything to do with all this bullshit?!" Mina snapped, no longer caring for protocol, or indeed for any standard of professional behaviour as she glared at the rogue before her, whose smirk only widened.

"My dear, your heart has _everything_ to do with all that is going on." Edward purred, leaning as far forwards in his chair as his cuffs and chains would allow. "It's what everyone _wants._ And whether you like it or not at some point in the near future you will have to choose who to yield it to."

"But _why_? What value does it have?" Mina's gaze hardened and Edward chuckled.

"That my dear, is something you shall have to figure out on your own, though I wouldn't mind helping you-"

"For what price"

"Oh nothing much…just a couple of books from the library, and maybe a cellphone from one of the guards as well as regular updates on all your patients. And in return, my men in here and back out in the Gotham streets will give you extra protection in addition to your stupid police escort" He shrugged nonchalantly, but Mina could see the hungry gleam in his green eyes.

She sighed heavily.

Well…it could've been worse. For all she knew he could've asked her to help him escape...outright of course. She wasn't blind, more than half the things he asked for in return, would help supply him with enough to escape on his own but at least this way if she was caught in the act, she could just say that Edward threatened her and get away scott free.

And it also would be nice to have a little more security on the streets, she snorted under her breath to herself. Even though she had now both her police-body guard and her ghost looking out for her, as well as the bloody batman and his sidekick on her tail, extra security from a member of Gotham's criminal classes would definitely be a bonus.

After all there was only so much information people in or _above_ the law could actually get of Joker without ending up dead in a gutter.

There was a moments silence in which Mina locked eyes with the Riddler, and gave him a silent but solid nod.

Edward grinned, but kept his mouth shut as a frazzled Doctor Young finally opened the door and rushed in to sit before him.

Oh this was going to be a good day indeed.

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And finally i'm done this chapter. phew.
> 
> Well...you know the drill. Read and review for more :)


	13. Mind Games

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Madness in great ones must not unwatched go.”   
> ― William Shakespeare, Hamlet

_I've just stopped for lunch. Riddler's just offered me protection. I've taken it like you said. – M.P._

_Good. Now what's the status on Doctor Young? – Ghost_

_She's acting skittish and distracted. I keep hearing her muttering under her breath like she's terrified. I keep trying to decipher her words but she shuts off whenever she sees me – M.P._

_If she's frightened, Joker must have contacted her recently. Keep an eye on her. We don't want her pulling the plug on Project Titan just yet. On that note, do you have the antidote serum sample yet? – Ghost_

_Not yet. Doctor Young's taken me off the project and keeping me busy on handling her patients while she works at it alone.—M.P._

_Which patient are you handling next? – Ghost_

_An old woman called Doris Darling. One of the long-term residents. She used to be quite volatile but now she's too old and keeps mostly to herself. Looks harmless, but even Nygma and Crane sounded edgy when I asked them about her. – M.P._

_If she's a long term resident, then see if you can get information from her. She might know more about Arkham then some of the doctors. But keep your guard up. If Riddler and Scarecrow are spooked by her, then you might be dealing with an old rogue. Does she have any powers on her record? – Ghost_

_Not that I can see. Just says she was a prostitute who began practicing cannibalism in the sixties, before authorities caught her and brought her to Blackgate. Apparently she had quite the appetite for men– MP_

_Sounds very familiar – Ghost_

_You didn't seem to mind it that night – MP_

_Fuck you. – Ghost_

_You already did that. - MP_

_Just shut up and focus on what's important here. If the Rogues are afraid of Doris then she's obviously more dangerous than she lets on. When you go for her session, take your bodyguard Jones along – Ghost._

_And give Gordon and the Bat an excuse to do me in? I think not. – M.P._

_Don't worry, he won't blab to the police or the batman – Ghost_

_Why? What did you have to threaten him with? – M.P._

_Nothing. Jones is one of my men, I had stationed at the GCPD only last month. If anyone can keep a trouble magnet like you out of shitsville it would be him - Ghost_

_You hold him in high regard – M.P._

_He's ex-special forces, one of their best. And he hasn't failed me yet. He'll be sending me full reports on your safety whilst leaking the edited version to the Police and the Dark Knight. – Ghost_

_Speaking of safety, has there been any word on the bastard clown – M.P._

_Not yet. He and Quinn have both gone into hiding. But be careful, some of his cronies are still loose on the streets. And these aren't just the morons who just walk about and look pretty in clown masks, these are his actual muscle and henchmen, the ones who report to him directly. So stay close to Jones and don't wander off on your own – Ghost_

_Yes mom – M.P._

_Be thankful we're not talking face to face woman– Ghost_

_I could say the same for you Ghost – M.P._

* * *

"Mrs Darling? Doris?" Mina called softly as she entered the white padded room alone. "My name is Mina Poole and I'm just here to see how you're doing"

In the centre of her vision, an old woman sat on a small cot like bed, her body wrapped in a straight-jacket. Her skin was grey and papery, almost like parchment. Her hair was wispy white and cut roughly about her shoulders, as if someone had cut it in a great hurry with blunt scissors.

Only a few stringy white bangs covered her eyes as she stared down to the ground, her old wrinkled mouth moving seamlessly in quiet mutterings.

"The fox has fled the chicken coop. But he fled without his kit. Fled the coop but the chicken's still have his kit"

_Chickens, foxes and kits? What do they put in your food old bat?_

But Mina kept her face completely neutral as she made to sit in a vacant chair by the door, eyeing the old woman as she began to rock back and forth, grinning childishly as she spotted her younger caretaker.

"Now the Kit's come to granny. The Kit want's answers. The kit is curious, more like a kitten than just a kit granny thinks. And Granny thinks a lot of things"

"And what does… _Granny_ think of?" Mina frowned and Doris giggled, a high unnaturally girlish sound that almost set her teeth on edge.

"All sorts. Granny thinks how delicious the man outside the door looks. Granny thinks that the doctor sent little kit in because she's busy with the Man she calls X. But granny does more than think my dear, oh yes, Granny sees everything."

"Like what?" Mina politely smiled but could not deny the shudder that went through her as the old woman craned her neck up to look through her long white bangs.

"Granny can see your fear little Kit. Granny can see you fear her. Granny can see the hurt and the anger inside your soul. Anger at the Bat anger at the Fox. Granny can see the loss in your heart for the family that was. Granny can see the mark left on you on your back. Granny can see the trust little kit has for her Ghost…but most importantly…Granny can see a little girl scared and alone as she watches men drop like flies…one, by one into the floor…as the fox laughs over them. Never ending in his laugh-"

"Enough!"

Mina hadn't meant to yell. Nor did she mean for her voice to waver as it did with fear.

It was just too much, the piercing stare, the insane smile, it was all too much…all too familiar…and why did her brain hurt? Why did thoughts begin to swirl and shift when she didn't even think of thinking them?

"Hmm…such anger. Don't worry little Kit. Don't worry at all." Doris smirked and even as she brushed back her lank hair, Mina froze like an icicle to her seat.

There staring at her from the old wrinkled face was a pair of jet black coloured eyes.

"Granny understands you. Granny has always understood you…my dear…my _Darling_ "

* * *

"Well you look like crap"

"So do you, but you don't hear me commenting about it" Mina snapped, not even bothering to look up from the empty Arkham Staffroom couch as the dark shadow of Diego Jones strode towards her.

He was a short man of partial Latino descent (or at least that's what he looked like to Mina) with a stern scowling face that always looked like it had been carved out of marble, so stiff was his jaw set. Though his height was definitely shorter than her own, his muscled build and tough stance even in the Arkham Uniform made Mina quite sure that if he was allowed, he'd be able to kill her in two seconds flat without even so much as blinking his eyes…or rather his one right eye. The left one was white and milky and had a large jagged scar running over it, the damaged skin furrowing severely as he glared at girl he'd been charged to protect.

Her hands shook as she turned down the television volume and turned to face him. Her face looked stricken, haunted, a far cry from her usual cool and collected self.

"Pass me the scotch" she mumbled holding out her trembling hand.

Jones acquiesced quietly, his hands careful as he made to settle the glass full of amber liquid into the woman's hands. It had been stashed away under the sink by one of the other psychiatrists. It wasn't an uncommon practice for at least one shrink to drink his or her stress away each week after being stationed in Arkham for so long.

Needless to say Mina was grateful for its presence in her hands…even if her babysitter stood there, hovering carefully above her, one hand still holding onto her wrist.

And a good thing too. She almost spilled her drink into her lap with her first sip.

Once she was settled, he leaned against the arm of her chair, his gruff voice tinged with concern.

"What did she do?"

"Who did what?" Mina growled pinching her nose.

"Doris. All this bullshit begun after you talked to her" Jones muttered.

"She…She fucked with my brain" Mina mumbled, knuckles white as she gripped her glass tight in both hands.

"How?" Jones voice hardened but Mina only snapped at him.

"I don't know. But as I was talking to the old bat I felt something prodding in my head. I can't explain it…it was like my mind was a file cabinet and she was just rifling through it at her leisure"

"So she's telepathic"

"I guess…"

"You can't just guess. It's a yes or no answer" Jones snorted.

"Well sorry, let's see how you like a complete stranger pick your brain apart bit by bit like a vulture and lay it out bare for the whole world to see. You can't imagine what the hell that's like-"

"I don't have to imagine. I already know!" Jones deep voice rang out loud and clear over her own.

She shut her mouth quickly as she caught sight of her guard scowling down at her and became uncomfortably aware of the sight of the long thin jagged scar that peeked out from his eyepatch.

She turned away quickly, her eyes drifting to glaze over the television screen. But she could feel the gaze of her companion still upon her, though the murderous aura around him seemed to dim somewhat as she opened her mouth to speak.

"She called me _Darling_. Just like _he_ did" she murmured. "She looked at me and told me what I am. She looked at me and saw you, saw my hatred for the Bat…saw my darkest thoughts. Saw patient X, Kellerman, Black Mask. All in the blink of an eye. She knew who I was...even before I could figure it out. Knew what the mark meant even though I never showed it to her."

"Mark?"

"The one on my back." Mina gulped down a huge swig of whisky.

"Ah…that one" Jones muttered as his hand traced over her shoulder. "So she knows then"

Mina nodded.

"She knows. But she won't say a word. From the looks of things, she likes to know everyone's dirty secrets and trade them for a price."

"And what kind of price will she be willing to take for information about Joker"

"I don't know. But I can figure it's going to be high."

"Don't worry. My boss has some benefactors that owe him favours" Jones snorted but Mina shook her head.

"Knowledge is more powerful than money. Especially in a place like Arkham." She sipped her drink shakily "Any of those loons with more than three brain cells left could probably escape whenever they want if they really put their minds to it. Doris is no different. If anything she thrives off being a busybody, especially with powers like hers. It's no wonder Edward and Crane are fucking freaked out by her. One wrong move and she could completely hijack their heads and make them spill all their worst secrets"

"Personally I think the fact that everyone knows they dress as outlandishly as they do would be more than enough embarrassment" Jones muttered and Mina snorted.

"Not to the Rogues. The physical costume is key for their criminal careers, no matter how outlandish it looks. It makes them stand out, gives them a sense of control over others and themselves. A bit like your boss" she added and Jones bristled uncomfortably.

"Just so you know, he doesn't usually dress like that with the mask and all that." he mumbled and Mina laughed hollowly.

"Oh so then he just dresses up for me? How flattering"

"Trust me kid, you don't know the half of it" Jones snorted "If I didn't know any better I'd say my boss had a soft spot for you. But then again he's always been softer on the women"

"Hmm…interesting? And have you confirmed your findings with your dear boss?" Mina smirked.

"Don't have to, when I can see the evidence clearly in front of me." Jones' lip curled. "And if my intuition was right I'd say you also returned his sentiment"

Mina glowered at him, black eyes flashing. But Jones merely shrugged and turned away, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Hey! Don't you pull that glaring shit with me kid. I just call it like I see it"

"Right…sure" Mina scowled.

God she hated this smug little bastard.

She was relieved when her phone's alarm went off warning her of her next patient interview.

_Oh well at least this one won't give me half as much trouble._

* * *

"Master Bruce?"

"Yes Alfred?" Bruce blinked up just in time to see his butler Alfred Pennyworth step into his study door, a cup of fresh coffee in his hands, his face set in a worried frown.

"Sir are you quite alright? You look like you've seen a Ghost?"

"Don't I always?" Bruce snorted as he took the cup, but his blue eyes were hollow even as he turned back to the computer screen on his desk.

"It's Mina Poole"

"Ah yes the sinisterly elusive miss Poole" Alfred clipped stiffly "Master Bruce, she has made it quite clear that she does not appreciate your assistance-"

"Alfred she's in danger" Bruce's brow furrowed "the Joker wants her. I don't know why, but I do know that he will stop at nothing till he succeeds. I don't even think he'll hesitate to drag Gotham down with him this time"

Alfred opened his mouth, then shut it hastily.

"Very well then" he coughed "What is it that you plan to do about her? She is already suspicious of your true intentions both in and out of costume."

"Don't worry, Tim and I are keeping a watch from a distance from now on" Bruce growled irritably "Besides, she'll be safe with Jones. He has good training. Not to mention some of the Rogues are probably going to grant her their protection."

"And what makes you so sure of that?" Alfred quirked a brow.

"Because Joker wants her." Bruce's lips thinned into a taut line "And when Joker wants something, its usually something very valuable or powerful…or in Mina's case, both"

"And in what way is Miss Poole valuable or powerful?" Alfred frowned curiously but his charge just shook his head.

"That's just it Alfred. I don't know. And everywhere I look I hit a dead end. Even the Poole family's crime scene. Tim and I have searched it from top to bottom, but we can't find any signs of where the Joker moved after the killings"

"Much like his first killings" Alfred sniffed. "As my own father used to say, old sins cast long shadows. And in the case of the Joker, his shadow is long indeed."

"Meaning?" Bruce's eyes narrowed and his butler sighed heavily.

"You are not the only one who has been thinking long and hard about this case Master Bruce. And the more I've been thinking, the more I feel that this madman's crusade is not completely without cause. His attack on the Poole household took place on Christmas Eve night, the very same night which you met him thirteen years ago."

"And?" Bruce's brow furrowed and Alfred's gaze hardened.

"Sir, Look at the girl's past. An orphan with no recollection of her life before the age of six, found in a club belonging to Black Mask on Halloween night. A night club that had been filled with that horrific substance we call laughing gas. And then nearly two months later the Joker himself appears and targets, of all the powerful crime bosses, Black Mask. It cannot be coincidence"

Bruce paused as he mulled it all over in his head.

Yes, he had thought about this scenario in recent months, yet he had pushed it aside quite often.

Now it blared out at him like a police siren on a quiet street.

"Master Bruce? Where are you going?"

* * *

"Well if it isn't Kellerman's little weed." Poison Ivy smirked from her cell as she watched the younger woman stride past her, clipboard in hand.

"It's Poole to you Miss Isley." Mina clipped as she stuck her pen in place.

"Ooh. Poor little weed what happened? Someone pull too hard on your roots?" she cooed derisively.

Mina just snarled.

"Actually they didn't pull nearly hard enough for my liking"

Ivy scowled, her green tinged skin flushing an even darker shade. But she made no move to act on her anger. Instead she just leaned against the glass wall of her specialized cell eyes narrowing darkly even as another voice drawled from nearby.

"Be careful Ivy. Young's little minion is rather feisty today"

"I am not Young's minion, _Mister Crane_ " Mina rolled her eyes as she turned to face the glass barrier of Jonathan Crane's cell.

The Master of Fear was sitting on his cot, a thick book in his hand, one "borrowed" from the Asylum Library, Mina noted as she strode up to him and looked down at her clipboard.

"You ready to go? I'm on a tight schedule" she asked trying her hardest to keep her face as straight as she could.

But swiftly he was on his feet towering over her as he approached the glass.

"Fascinating" he murmured and Mina cursed herself as the blue eyes of Crane pierced into her at once. "You've had a scare"

"I have not" Mina growled forcing herself to meet his gaze, only to wish she hadn't as the ex-psychiatrist's mouth split into a small smirk.

"Yes you have. Very recently in fact. Contracted pupils, defensive body language, the involuntary ticking in your face-"

"Continue diagnosing me Crane and I'll call Cash." Mina hissed but Crane only smirked wider.

"You are so afraid _._ Why?"

"Crane I'm serious-"

"WHY?"

_BANG!_

"Because I don't like people screwing with my head you Delusional Narcissistic Schizophrenic Psychotic!"

There was a silence as Crane looked down at the girl before him. Her eyes, usually so cold, were now pits of burning hot black like coals. Lips painted red, always so smooth and perfect were raised back over hackles as she panted for breath. Nostrils flared with every puff so hard that he almost expected smoke to rise from them.

But what really got him was the small pale fist that had been slammed against the glass, from the outside of his cell.

No she was right. She was not afraid…she was _terrified._

He had seen this kind of terror before, though it was not induced in any of his experiments.

"Which patient did you just meet before coming for me?"

The question was so quiet that Mina almost missed it under the pounding blood through her ears.

"I beg your pardon" she blinked and Crane rolled his eyes.

"Who has Young made you check up on today? Before me?"

"…Doris." Mina growled. "Doris _Fucking_ Darling"

She knew she should've kept her mouth shut. The last thing she wanted was to have more rogues screwing her around.

She pulled her hand away from the glass, her eyes keeping a sharp watch on Crane even as he stroked his chin thoughtfully.

When he finally looked at her, his gaze was sharp but more contemplative than before when it had been manic.

"What did she do?"

_Well I've already dug my grave_

Mina sighed to herself but what she really said was.

"I went in to go check up on her. Tried the whole friendly young helper act. Then she started jabbering on about foxes, chicken coops and me being a goddamn kit. Then she looked up at me and grinned and I-I don't know, I just felt like she was-"

"Prodding around inside your head?" Crane finished quietly.

Mina stared at him.

"You know" she hissed quietly to the glass "You know she's-"

Crane nodded, his jaw tensing as he grit out:

" _Everyone_ in C Block knows what she is"

"And you haven't ever thought to tell anyone?" Mina growled.

"The General public has labelled us as _insane_ _criminal felons_." Said Insane-Criminal-Felon snapped waspishly "I doubt they'd believe anything we'd have to say anymore even if it is valid. But that's not what's important here. You said she _spoke_ to you. As in out loud spoke to you"

"Yes…" Mina frowned. "Hasn't she ever spoken to you?"

Crane shook his head.

"She has never spoken to anyone save herself, and we only figured that out that thanks to the security cameras I asked them to install years ago in her cell"

"You mean when you were working here?"

Crane nodded again and pointed to her clipboard.

"do you still have her file with you?"

"it's right here" Mina tapped the small file and this time it was Crane's turn to frown.

"That small. I could've sworn I'd had a-"

"Doctor Young only gave me the most recent files they had from this month" Mina explained and the ex-psychiatrist chuckled mirthlessly.

"Ah, of course she did. And let me guess. The full files are locked away in the archives."

"Right in one" Mina snorted "And she's not digitized them, which means-"

"-they cannot get hacked" Crane mused. "typical! As it stands I barely have any resources to pull off a heist as well as any escape plan. Such a shame, it has _valuable_ information." he shrugged nonchalantly.

"Even for a rogue in your position that was just a shamefully shoddy bribe" Mina rolled her eyes and Crane chuckled darkly.

"Whoever said it was a bribe?"

Mina rolled her eyes again.

Sometimes these Rogues really were assholes.

* * *

Diego Jones was a man not easily ruffled. So when the dark figure appeared on his apartment balcony dressed in a hooded black motorcycle jacket and a face covered in shadows, he did not even blink up from his cigarette.

"I take it you got my message" he snorted dryly.

"You let her get compromised right when I specifically told you to stick to her like glue" the scrambled voice of Ghost hissed.

"It's not my fault the brat knows how to sneak around is it? Besides how was I to know the old bitch was a telepath?" Jones grunted as he took a long drag. "Anyway, turns out this Doris Darling broad might have more dirt on her than we first thought"

"And what might it be?"

"Dunno fuck all" Jones shrugged. "But apparently the bastard Crane knows where to look. He was studying her when she first came to Arkham. All her information is in his files kept in a vault in the-"

"Asylum Archives" Ghost finished with a soft growl "Of course it will be in there."

"And it's not entered digitally into the system" Jones nodded. "It's all kept on good old fashioned paper. Behind armoured doors and a very secure lock-"

"by Arkham standards, _very secure_ , means very easy to break into" Ghost sneered "Does Batman know about the files."

"No. At least I don't think so." Jones bristled uncomfortably. "If he did he'd be here an hour ago bothering me for answers and threatening to drop me from a rooftop or bothering the Brat-"

"Where is she?" Ghost cut across swiftly and Jones allowed himself a small smirk.

"Asleep on the couch, with a little help from an old friend. Don't worry" he added as he felt his boss's stare harden on him "The alcohol did it to her not me"

"Of course it did" Ghost muttered as he pocketed the vial and hopped up to the balcony railing.

"You're going to check up on her aren't you?" Jones's smirk widened.

But Ghost didn't answer. He just jumped over to the adjacent balcony and slipped inside the doors.

The room was just the same as it had been the first time he'd entered it. Except this time there was no light save that of the television screen, and Mina Poole was draped precariously over the couch

The pungent smell of whisky hung in the air.

"Fucking hell woman how much do you drink?" Ghost growled as with a gloved hand he reached for the Television remote and turned the machine off.

Mina groaned and rolled over a little in her spot, but otherwise she made no move to wake up.

Shaking his head, he reached out his arms and picked the young woman up, carrying her to her open bedroom door and all but flinging her onto the bed.

She grunted as her back made impact with the soft mattress but still she did not wake up, not even as she felt herself get covered by the sheets and blankets or not even the gloved hand that carefully pushed her hair from her face.

"Rest up well while you can" Ghost whispered as he stroked a thumb over her jawline. "Things are going to get messy."


	14. It's all Chemistry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: if there is any reaction, both are transformed.”   
> ― C.G. Jung

Her body writhed as what felt like white hot knives all pierced her skin.

But what she was seeing did not match what she felt of her bed.

She appeared to be looking through a big pane of glass, one that looked eerily almost like one of the observation rooms back at Arkham Asylum.

But it could not be Arkham. For one thing if she was at Arkham, she would be wearing her white coat. She would also not be so small in height compared to her captor, who was huge and hulking like a bear, nor would he be wearing a black skull mask over his face.

He held her arms behind her back as she struggled to scramble closer to the big window through which she could see a large warehouse like space.

In it were many big canisters, each one filled with strange greenish liquid that swirled like an evil witch's magic potion. It was the nearest canisters that had Mina's attention though.

For there in the gloom, was a huge hulking figure garbed in black and grey, running fast over the railings as he pursued hotly a shadowy figure.

"S-stop please" Mina pleaded as she saw the fleeing figure hit the railing as his attacker advanced on him arms outstretched-

* * *

"Mina!"

Mina Poole's eyes flew open.

It took her a second before she realized that she wasn't alone in her still very dark room.

Someone else was towering over her.

Someone in a dark cowl and cape.

With a snarl her hands flew up to grab at the figure who caught her hands deftly in his grip.

"Stop." Batman hissed "I'm not going to hurt you"

"Already too late for that you Bat-Eared Bastard." Mina growled this time trying to kick her legs up. "Let me go! Leave me alone!"

However, in two seconds flat the Dark Knight had rolled her over onto her stomach and pinned her arms in a lock behind her back.

"I will leave you if you answer a few questions."

"The way I see it you owe me a few answers." Mina snapped viciously but Batman ignored her and as he hardened his grip on her arms he hissed.

"You ditched your bodyguard in the middle of the day to talk to Crane."

"Oh is talking to my patients a crime now?" Mina rolled her eyes only to wince as the lock of her arms worsened ever so slightly.

"Only when you breach your patient confidentiality agreement" Batman growled "You talked to him about another patient. Doris Darling-"

"Only because Crane brought her up you twat!" Mina growled. "I had a run in with her in the morning and she got under my skin. Crane noticed it and commented about it. Nothing more, Nothing less"

"Would you be willing to testify that statement in court?" the Dark Knight hissed softly.

Mina mouth open in shock, her half asleep half alcohol ridden mind barely able to process through the words to her own mouth as she spluttered indignantly.

"What-why would I need to-I fucking hell haven't done a fucking damn thing to-what the-"

Then suddenly she felt herself be freed from her hold as the caped crusader stepped back quickly, his breathing slowing down and his eyes widening.

"You don't know…" he murmured darkly.

"Don't know what?" Mina spat as she sat up, massaging her wrists, which were to her mounting irritation beginning to bruise.

For a moment she saw the silhouette of Batman bristle slightly in the dark shadows were he had hidden himself.

"Seven hours ago a vault in the Arkham Archives was reported broken into. In addition, the confidential files contained in the vault were stolen."

Mina froze all anger forgotten in her shock. She checked the alarm clock. It was barely five in the morning. She turned back to the Dark Knight and frowned.

"I beg your pardon?"

"The files that you and Crane were talking about earlier. They were stolen tonight."

"By who?"

"The GCPD are hoping you could tell them" Batman growled.

Mina's scowl returned full force, so fierce that it could curdle new milk.

"Oh do they? Well news flash bat-brain, I have been here for the entire night, drinking and sleeping. You can check the camera's your little Boy-Gofer installed or better still, go check with Jones. He was the one who put me to bed after all."

"I already did that. Why else do you think I am standing here?" Batman's growl was slightly softer than before as was his gaze, though the irritating concern just wouldn't vanish even as he said "Gordon agreed to let me question you first before he came to talk to you with the rest of the cops in the morning."

Mina's pale face was now the colour of chalk, but she kept her gaze steady and her eyes stern as she spoke.

"So that you can give them evidence to arrest me? A _confession_ "

"…No. I have provided the GCPD enough evidence to support your _innocence_." Batman grit his teeth hard together to stop himself almost spitting at the infuriating woman in the bed "But no one can overlook the relationships you have with your patients at Arkham anymore. Not when you have the Joker after your blood."

"Crane's only interested in me because I give him buck where others would cower" Mina folded her arms "And Nygma's only talking to me because I'm one of the few people in there that actually can look him in the eye and give him a straight answer. Poison Ivy hates me because she sees other females as rivals and threats to her plans, and Jervis Tetch seems to think I'm Alice reincarnate. Apart from that I do not see any other reason why the GCPD should be interested by my work at Arkham. If anything they should be damn fucking indebted that I'm even managing to look after myself without becoming another body in the harbour. And speaking of indebted, I would think that after all the crap you've put me through you'd at least grant me some privacy, especially since it is the one thing you value so highly _Mister Wayne_ "

There was a silence in which Batman stared at the young woman who stared unflinchingly back, her gaze locking into his, daring him to lie to her, to defend himself from the truth she _knew_ to be true.

But how…HOW could she know it was true to begin with? Was she bluffing?

No she wasn't. Batman could see the unwavering certainty in those cold black orbs.

"Gordon and his men will be coming for you by nine" he growled as he slid backwards into the darkness. "I hope for your sake you don't dig yourself deeper with the other Rogues"

"Unlike some poor orphan boys _Wayne,_ I know how to take care of myself" Mina sneered as she shone the torch on her phone over her room, she couldn't see his form anywhere.

"finally" Mina sighed heavily as she leaned back into her pillows.

But as she curled herself back into a comfortable position, she couldn't stop her thoughts swirling around her head.

_The file was moved_

she pursed her lips as her vision glazed over her pillow.

_Someone else knew about that file. Joker…or could it be…_

She yawned wide as her eyelids began to droop once more.

No. she was too tired to be dealing with this shit. Perhaps in another couple of hours she'd be able to look through this all prope-

_That's weird…_

She frowned as she felt something poke her through her pillow.

Carefully as she could, she slid her hand underneath and dragged out two things A small black usb sitting on her and a letter written in all caps block handwriting.

_Copies of Crane's files on Doris Darling. Digitized and encrypted. I have the originals in my possession but it would be too risky to bring them to you with the Bat and the police on your tail, so commit the password to memory and burn this paper as soon as you're done with it_

_The Password is: Argonautica_

_Doctor Young left you a message on your answering machine last night and has given you a couple of days off to get over what happened yesterday. But don't worry, you won't be idle._

_Once the police are finished with you today, have Jones drive you to Royal Hotel, Diamond District. Ask again for John Haywood._

_Don't be late._

_Ghost_

* * *

_Knock! Knock!_

"Enter" a voice called.

Doctor Penelope Young chewed her lip as she stepped into the private office of Hugo Strange.

"Ah Penelope, please take a seat. To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" The older more experienced doctor smiled politely observed his colleague's rather timid cautious movements. In truth it was rather amusing for him, watching the usually confident doctor skulk skittishly about his person as she took the seat on the other side of his desk.

"Hugo" she gulped her hands twisting furiously in her lap. "I'm sorry to interrupt your work, but I-I I needed to talk to someone."

"Of course my dear. Now what seems to be the problem"

Doctor Young gulped, her face tinged green as if she was going to be sick any minute.

"Sir…it's about my assistant Mina Poole"

"Ah…I see" Strange smirked. "I see"

_Now this should be interesting…_

* * *

The hotel was large luxurious and above all, gaudy.

Mina almost threw up in revulsion as she caught sight of the loud and flashy women strutting around in the lobby in all their best finery

Even though she had worn her nicest winter daywear, which consisted of an expensive fur lined red coat over the top of a woollen dress, stockings and high boots, she still felt like a children's entertainment clown pushed into an adult's fancy dinner party.

But as soon as the image floated over her mind, so too did the terrible laughter.

_No! don't think about it!_

She snarled to herself as she quietly asked for John Haywood at the concierge desk.

At once and without question, both she and her bodyguard Jones were escorted to the elevator.

They stopped at the tenth floor and were shown up to the last door on the right of the corridor, before their guide promptly and very quickly ran away back to the elevator and sent himself zooming away as fast as he could.

"Wimp" Mina scowled and Jones snorted.

"He's just a boy"

"Yeah a really wimpy boy" Mina reached out and rapped her knuckles smartly on the door.

It was answered at once, but no one was there to greet them.

Or at least that's what they thought until a gruff voice growled from behind the door.

"Get in! Jones take this keycard and go to the room next door to the right."

Jones spared Mina a glance, and for a split second she wondered if her short but deadly bodyguard was actually worried for her.

But then the moment was gone in an instant and soon the door was getting shut behind Jones' back with a snap.

"take off your clothes all of them" a gruff voice hissed.

Mina turned to the sound and was not surprised to see Ghost standing there, white skull mask under a tattered red hooded sweater and jeans today.

"Listen ass just because you got lucky once-" She scowled but already Ghost had strode up to her and held her fast.

With a swift shove he thrust a pile of clothes into her arms and shoved her towards the bed.

"Dress in these now! Underwear too"

"Why-"

"Because I'll put a bullet in your mouth so just shut up and put them on"

"Okay! Okay! Fine!" Mina growled as she stripped off her shirt and tugged her new set of clothes on.

It was a grungy set of black skinny jeans, a white T-shirt and a black sweater with a black hood and a pair of worn out trainers with a plain set of cotton underwear and bra underneath. Once she had put the ensemble on Ghost shoved a hair tie her way.

"You'll need this" was all he grunted as she took it from him, and he took her discarded blouse and skirt away.

But instead of stashing them somewhere safe, Ghost walked over to the wall opposite the double bed and took hold of the frame of a painting that hung there.

Mina blinked in astonishment as with ease, the painting swung forwards revealing a square shaped hole in the wall, through which Jones could be seen peering through with a raised brow.

"Delia's just filled me in on the plan" Jones nodded as Ghost passed the bundle of clothes across the hole and into the other room. "I'll be taking her to a café and then to one of those movie marathons close to the apartment."

"Which movie marathon?" Ghost hissed quietly.

"Bourne trilogy apparently" Jones rolled his eyes.

"Good that should buy us the time we need" Ghost's shoulders relaxed considerably but not before he added swiftly "but keep a watch out. If my sources are correct then both the police and Batman might have people tailing, you. Make sure Delia keeps the holo-mask on at all times till we make the switch back."

The painting shut with a snap and Mina frowned.

"holo-mask?"

"Holographic mask." Ghost grunted as he walked over to the corner of the room and picked up a briefcase. "newest Tech from Star Labs. A device that scans a person's face and then maps the image over another person's face from a band around their neack."

"oh…like motion capture for film?" Mina quirked a curious brow.

"Yeah…a bit like that" Ghost snorted as he opened the briefcase.

Inside were three handguns.

He pocketed two of them before handing the third to Mina.

"you know how to shoot this?"

"As well as I know the streets of Gotham" Mina drawled as she checked the magazine before stashing the gun in an inside pocket of the sweater she wore.

"Good because we'll be heading to Park Row"

* * *

Bruce Wayne scowled as he checked the small repeating snippet of security footage of the Lacey Towers apartment.

_"_ _Unlike some poor orphan boys_ _**Wayne** _ _, I know how to take care of myself"_

There was a loud clang behind him and Bruce turned to see Alfred staring at the footage in shock.

"but how…" His shocked butler breathed wide eyed "How on earth could she have known?"

"I don't know" Bruce admitted with an angry growl "Ever since she came back on my radar I have been even more careful not to give anything away of my identity, and so has Tim for that matter. And even with her brains, I don't see how she could've figured it out unless someone told her"

"But who would've told her master Bruce?" Alfred's lips pursed as he reached down to pick up the fallen tray at his feet. "The only ones who know about your secret are within the family."

"As far as we know" Bruce stood to his feet, slipping his dark cowl over his head.

But before he could even stride two paces, his trusted old friend said"

"Master Bruce, perhaps you should leave the young woman be for the time being. Going to interrogate Miss Poole again, straight after such an event will only push her further over an edge she is already so close to tumbling over"

"And let her sell out our identities?" Batman growled "Sorry Alfred but I can't let that happen. I have to find some way to stop her before she goes too far. For all our sakes."

He tried to turn away again but his butler only grabbed harder at his armoured shoulder, actually forcing him to turn back around.

"For heaven's sake Master Bruce, would you listen to me just this once! No you listen to me!" he barked over the top of his charge's snarl.

"Yes, the girl is disturbed in her mind, but she is no rogue of yours. And so far, she has not done anything to deserve the kind of treatment from you. All her actions have spoken out for someone who only wishes to be left alone and in peace. All of her negativity, conniving cunning and cold façade is only ever that. A façade! A façade for a scared child who only views life as a desperate scramble for the last scraps on the table, just like most children of the Gotham streets do…just like young master J-"

"STOP Alfred!" Bruce yelled, but though there was fury in his tones, he kept his arms firmly rooted by his sides, desperate to hold onto the remaining threads of his frayed temper "Stop. Mina Poole is nothing like Jason! NOTHING! She's not noble or kind. She does not care for anyone save herself."

"And that is where you are wrong. She does care, more than you know and more then she dares admit to herself. The problem is, is that she now has nothing to care for anymore." Alfred shook his head sadly "Though harsh and cold she acted to the world, she still had a loving home, a family who accepted her as broken and as disturbed as she was. And then to have an evil monster such as the Joker take it all away from her in one fell swoop and leaving her all alone…can you really blame her for feeling angry with the world?"

Batman opened his mouth…then shut it hastily.

Though he and his butler didn't usually agree on much concerning this particular young woman…did his old friend have a point.

The dark knight felt his gut churn as he remembered all too clearly the way Mina had thrashed at him that Christmas eve night. The tears she shed as she screeched and sobbed for her mother's demise.

But then he could also remember the fury ignited in those cold black pits that were her eyes, and the way her lip curled with vicious pleasure every time she looked at him, her gaze calculating as she searched for a weak spot to attack like a savage predator.

"Keep an eye on that scanner and comm me if anything important shows up." Batman growled as he turned his back on his old butler who scoffed irritably.

"And in the meanwhile what will you be doing sir?"

"Looking for the missing files. And for that I'll need to see Crane" Batman clipped as he fetched his utility belt from a nearby work station "He wrote the files himself when he was working in Arkham. Whatever is in them must be connected to Joker somehow. It's the only explanation as to why they might have been stolen so soon after his disappearance."

"You think the Joker's trying to hide something then?" Alfred frowned worriedly as he watched his charge swoop down to a platform below.

"Not something Alfred. S _omeone_ "

* * *

Mina had never ridden on a motorbike before.

It had been one of the few things she had always wanted to do but never got around to trying. There was something about them that screamed sexy to her. Normal automobiles like cars and vans and trucks never held much sway in that respect. Any fat douche could drive one of those. But show her a motorbike and she was more gleeful than a child on their birthday.

And so it was with no hesitation that she fitted the helmet over her head and swung her leg over the side of the bike and seated herself behind her ghost, who rolled his eyes as he revved up the engine.

The trip was short, or at least it felt short to Mina who let herself grin fully under the protection of her black helmet.

Once or twice a small giggle escaped her as her ghost swerved the bike smoothly in-between passing cars. If he heard any of it though he didn't make any indication save when he finally pulled them into a small tiny alleyway and parked the vehicle.

"Alright woman, fun-time's over" he growled and Mina hopped off reluctantly, rolling her eyes as she made to take off the helmet.

"Y'know I really don't care, but the whole 'woman' thing is getting pretty old. Soon people are going to start accusing you of being chauvinistic"

"Yeah well most people are stupid" Ghost huffed as he turned his back on her and took off his helmet.

For a moment a full head of dark hair was revealed to her along with a peek of a pale neck and ears.

_Caucasian…_

Mina's eyes narrowed as Ghost quickly slipped a beanie over his head and a scarf around his mouth, pulling up the hood of his jacket so that only his eyes were visible as he turned around.

Mina stiffened, her hand flying to her belt as her eyes met dark blue orbs which narrowed dangerously.

"What?" Ghost snapped, his sharp gaze tracking her hands which paused before hanging limply by her sides as she sighed heavily.

"Nothing…it's stupid really" Mina muttered cursing herself as her voice wavered slightly "Y-you just reminded me of someone that's all"

"Who?"

"Batman." She mumbled then quickly added "He also has blue eyes. For a moment I thought…"

"That I was him?" Ghost rumbled and she averted her eyes uncomfortably.

"Like I said it's stupid" she mumbled, more to herself than to him. "I guess my brain's still a bit fried from that old bitch's mumbo jumbo"

Ghost's posture relaxed slightly, but his eyes remained set and grim as they watched her bristle and cough.

"So, what now? What are we doing?"

"Your job." Ghost grunted his hands reaching down to his pockets. "Your boss Doctor Young has asked you in her voicemail to pick up a sample of one of the chemicals she needs for project Titan from one of her _friends_ working there."

"Right…" Mina folded her arms and scowled "And why couldn't I just go with Jones? He is my bodyguard and this is official Asylum business"

"Because the substance Doctor Young needs is illegal in this state, and has been bought off the books" Ghost's eyes crinkled in a small smirk "And she doesn't want her work being tailed by the Batman or the Police. Ergo, she'll send you to fetch the stuff, knowing full well that if you're caught by either of them you'll pay the price for her shit and so will Jones."

"Bitch" Mina snarled "But that still doesn't explain why Jones couldn't have filled in your place. He's proven just as good at keeping his head down."

"Because unlike Jones, I know Batman and his way of thinking. If he so much as catches your scent here, he'd probably have you locked under house arrest with nothing but his little partner for company." Ghost sneered.

But even as his eye caught hers again, she the sound of children's laughter echoed in her ears.

"Did you hear that?" she frowned.

Ghost's brow furrowed.

"Hear what?"

"Never mind" Mina shook her head but Ghost grabbed her arm before she could walk away.

"Wait!"

"What?" she snapped.

There was a pause as Ghost stared down at her, his blue eyes swirling with a strange emotion she could not quite pinpoint even as he leaned forwards to be right up in her face.

"hold still"

Then there was a hand snaking its way under her shirt.

"What the fuck-" she hissed but was quickly shushed by her ghost as both hands now slid up her bare back towards her bra strap.

"Thank fuck" he sighed into her ear as his fingers brushed against the black cotton.

"What?" Mina scowled irritably, half tempted to shoot him right then and there and half tempted for him to continue even as he pulled away to look at her in the face.

"You're wearing the bra I gave you right?"

"Uh yeah?" Mina quirked a brow as he finally pulled both his hands away. "Why? Want it back?"

"No, you keep it. Besides it probably looks better on you." Ghost snorted turning his back on her but Mina's curiosity wasn't sated.

"Why did I have to change bra's anyway? All the women in Park Row probably have better lingerie then that for their kinds of work-"

"The bra wasn't the problem." Ghost sniffed as he led her out of the alleyway "It was what was on it that was"

"What was on it?" Mina blinked then she scowled "Batman! That fucking pointy-eared-black-caped piece of flying rodent SHIT! Bug my apartment fine! But my BRA?! That just crosses SO many lines"

"It wasn't Batman. But that's got to be one of the most original insults I've ever heard about him so gold star for you" Ghost smirked "No the tracker on it was one of Riddlers"

"UGH! Can't a girl get any privacy in this godforsaken city?!"

"If a girl is anything like you, then no. No they won't"

"Fuck you"

"You already did that. And you enjoyed it too. Remember?"

"Hmph…smug little shit!"

* * *

A figure in the shadows stretched out languidly in a moth eaten chair. White gloved fingers drumming slowly over the arm as its owner hummed a tune softly in time with the half crackling radio to its right.

"Oh! Darling, please believe me. I'll never do you no harm. Believe me when I tell you, I'll never do you no harm"

"Puddin?"

"DIDN'T I TELL YOU NOT TO DISTURB ME!" the figure roared as it jumped in its chair at the figure who had appeared in the doorway.

However even by the time he had turned to round upon the blonde haired noisy woman, she had already disappeared and shut the door with a snap.

The figure sighed heavily as it turned back to slouch in the chair again, an arm reaching out to snag something rectangular that sat on a small side table on it's right.

"just a little more time my Darling" the figure hissed, its fingers gently caressing the paper encased by the thin metal frame. "Just a little more time…and then hi-hi you'll be mine again"

* * *

_What the fuck is this shit?_

The colour was a sickly gold laced with green and swirled ominously in its test tube as Mina inspected it with her gloved hands.

The exchange for Doctor Young was going quickly and quietly in one of the small backroom Ace Chemicals Laboratories. No one had seen them come in. And no one had seen their faces

So far so good.

Even Mina had to admit she was impressed the buffoon in front of her had ever managed to sneak them into the large Chemicals factory, but that might also have been because of a little fiddling with the security footage on Ghost's part.

Her Ghost…

Mina bit her lip as she glanced at the hulking shadow that leaned by the door of the lab, watching her closely from his mask of scarf and beanie.

She really did not know what to think of him.

He hated Batman just as much as she did and yet…every time she was near him she could hear faintly, the sounds of two children laughing and playing echoing around her head.

It was weird.

There was a bristling of cloth beside her and she glanced towards the nervous looking chemist.

"Everything looks to be in order" She clipped straightening up and motioning for the metal cased freezer box which was quickly handed to her.

After carefully depositing the test tube (plus all the other five samples just like it) into the case she shut it, and for good measure, wrapped and tied a thick cord around in a secure knot.

The mousy chemist gulped as she spared him a scowl that told him very clearly to get her the fuck out of there before she lost her shit, and quick as lightning dashed out the door.

"Wow. He really can move fast when he wants to" Ghost snorted but Mina shook her head and rolled her eyes.

"Let's just get out of here quick."

"You should really relax" Ghost murmured as they followed the chemist out the door and down the corridor. "the more panicked you look the more suspicious everyone else will be"

"I'm not panicking" Mina snapped as they walked into a corridor with a long series of glass windows stretching all along on one side. "I just don't want the bat breathing down my neck again tonight."

"He won't. Trust me." Ghost murmured only to grunt as he walked right into her back.

"Hey woman! What are you doing?" he hissed.

But Mina wasn't listening.

She was staring wide eyed through the glass.

There in the large space down below…were big canisters full of green swirling liquid.

_"_ _Stop Please!"_

_"_ _Stay still you brat"_

_"_ _No! Stop! Stop! Can't you see him! Daddy Look out! Look out he's right behind you! Daddy! DADDY!"_

"Mina" a voice called but Mina's mind had already turned to black.

* * *

 **Dr. Young:** This is my final interview with Edward. I have gone as far as I can. I can no longer tolerate his mood swings and tantrums. I have more important work to be getting on with. He will be transferred to Dr. Whistler's care as ofnext week.

 **Riddler** : Good morning, Doctor. How are you today?

 **Dr. Young:** I'm fine, thank you, Edward. You're in a good mood.

 **Riddler** : I'm always in rare spirits when I'm about to be released.

 **Dr. Young:** Edward, you know you don't come up for parole for another three years.

 **Riddler** : First thing I'll do is have dinner at that Italian place on 19th Street...

 **Dr. Young** : Seriously, Edward...

 **Riddler** : I only hope Joker hasn't completely trashed the city. Ah well, I'm sure I'll find out soon enough.

 **Dr. Young:** Wait, have you been in contact with The Joker? He escaped Arkham weeks ago!

 **Riddler** : And yet, one hears things...

 **Dr. Young** : What things? What have you heard?

 **Riddler** : Oh, something about a surprise party for Batman, I forget the rest. You know Joker, yak, yak, yak.

 **Dr. Young** : Edward, if you know anything, you've got to tell me! Lives could be at stake! What did Joker say?

 **Riddler** : You forget, Doctor. I'm the one who asks the riddles.

 **Dr. Young** : And what about Mina Poole?

 **Riddler:** What about her?

 **Dr. Young:** From what I've seen in her interviews you seem to have developed a certain…fondness for her…

 **Riddler** : Tche! Fondness is for fools. But even I must admit that it has been rather-ahem- _refreshing_ to be able to talk to someone who actually uses some of her brain cells correctly.

 **Dr. Young:** And yet you'd stay in contact with the Joker. Knowing full well that he's targeting her, hunting her down.

 **Riddler:** ha-ha! Oh Doctor, I'm surprised that even an ignoramus such as yourself could even fail to see it ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

 **Dr. Young:** See what?

 **Riddler:** Ha! Well if I have to spell it out for you. Riddle me this. Who's dangerous, aggressive and deadly to Miss Poole? I'll tell you who, it's Joker of course!

 **Dr. Young:** Edward seriously what am I supposed to see here?

 **Riddler:** I just gave you the answer. Who's dangerous, aggressive and deadly to Miss Poole? Joker. Simple! Even a monkey could figure this clue out! But then again, there are _some_ people who have yet to evolved from such a primitive state. A-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!

 **Dr Young:** Security! Security! Get in here now!

 **Riddler:** Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-HA!

* * *

"Mina! Mina!"

Mina could feel a pair of hands gingerly tilt up her face as her eyes flickered open.

The dark blue orbs of her ghost's face zoomed in and out of focus in the dark gloom of her moonlit room.

Her room? Moonlight?

"Whoa there woman, just take it easy" Ghost sighed sardonically down at her as she tried to sit up.

"Again with the _woman_ thing" Mina grumbled as she allowed him to settle her back against her cushions. "What the fuck happened?"

"I was hoping you could tell me" Ghost snorted as he leant back in the chair he had dragged to the side of her bed. "Y'know since I had to drag your scrawny backside back here from Ace Chemicals"

"Ace…" Mina breathed rubbing a hand over her sweaty brow.

Then she remembered and she gripped the sheets beside her tightly in her hands.

"I've been there before" she murmured into her pillow.

"What?" Ghost frowned.

"Ace Chemicals. I have been there before…when I was little" Mina shut her eyes. "The Bear was there too…I think."

"the Bear?" Ghost snorted but Mina shook her head.

"He was one of the guys in charge of Black Mask's child labour trafficking. None of us kids ever knew his name, but we all knew he was big and growled a lot so we just called him the Bear. Ugh…I can still smell his garlic breath."

Mina shut her eyes and shuddered.

"I've seen some pretty nasty shit-faces in Gotham, but even that guy took the cake. Would beat kids to a pulp for even sneezing out of turn. And once the girls were old enough he'd…break them in."

"and he was there with you…at Ace" Ghost muttered darkly and Mina nodded. Eyes still closed.

"Yes…him…and my father…and batman…that fucking asshole! It's all his fault! All his fault! If he had just left my father alone…"

She bit her lip as she pressed herself back into the bed, almost willing herself to vanish into it.

The swirling masses of green in canisters…the screams of the little girl…the shadow chasing a smaller pleading figure.

The thought was almost enough to make her throw up.

"Fucking pathetic" she mumbled hoarsely, a red blush of mortification creeping up to her ears "Why can't I get my head screwed on straight?"

Something warm grazed her arm and she opened her eyes to see ghost's gloved hand reach up to squeeze her shoulder gently.

"You should go back to sleep." His voice was deep, but for the first time not growling or snarling, but calm and soothing.

"Can't do that now" Mina grumbled but was forced back down again as his hand pushed her back.

"You shouldn't be stressing yourself-"

"Fine. I won't move from the bed. But at least get me my laptop so I can work on those files."

There was a moment Mina thought her Ghost would actually punch her to knock her out. Because from the look in his eyes he seemed to be sorely considering it.

But there was also something else there, smouldering in those blue depths.

Lust?

But no…Mina knew lust and whilst there was desire there, there was also something much more intense lingering just under the surface.

But then the moment had passed and soon she had her slender laptop in hand and the small USB stick inserted at the side.

"Yes! Locked and loaded bitches!" She smirked as she booted up the OS's file manager, when Ghost grabbed her hand and held it still.

"Oh come on I can still use the mou-mph!" she squeaked as a pair of lips crashed over hers.

The lips were coarse and thin, their owner's breath hot like their tongue which delved into her mouth roughly before pulling back to hiss.

"You're not pathetic… _woman_ "

And then before Mina could even blink, there was the whoosh of material, a rush of cold air, and she was alone in her bedroom with the window opened wide into the night.

"Hmph! Stop calling me _woman_ Jackass" She rolled at the moon as it glowed on her, illuminating her pale skin, her light hair…and the small upwards quirk of her lips.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And Chapter 13 is up! and we're definitely getting closer to the events of Arkham Asylum,! i can't wait ;) and yeah a lot of you guys are already starting to guess a few things out, but you'll still have to wait and see for the full thing to come to light muahahahaha! and on that note see if you guys can figure out Riddler's little clue he left behind. >:)
> 
> anyways hope you guys enjoyed and review if you want more.


	15. The Last Chance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You thought we could be decent men in an indecent time. But you were wrong. The world is cruel, and the only morality in a cruel world is chance. Unbiased. Unprejudiced. Fair." - Harvey "Two-Face" Dent (Aaron Eckhart), The Dark Knight (2008)

The weeks passed by smoothly and quickly for Mina.

She was still managing nearly all of Doctor Young's patients while said woman worked ceaselessly on her Patient X.

Whilst she was not sharing much of her research with her young assistant, it was plain for all to see that whatever Young was doing was obviously not going to plan.

_Oh well…at least I don't have to see that Doris Darling again._

Mina thought to herself as she rifled through all her notes on Scarecrow's most recent sessions.

Now that Mina had access to his notes on Doris Darling, the ex-psychiatrist was quite willing to help her decipher them, for much of it had been written in his very own, very cryptic short hand.

It was odd, she thought as she quietly looked over a transcript page from just that morning.

So often Scarecrow would be holding the reins over the body, but give the man a willing and eager pupil to teach and Crane magnificently took the lead. Truth be told, Mina almost pitied the ex-professor. His mind was brilliant, and his other more dangerous side almost vanished completely whenever he went into teacher-mode.

And if there was one kind of person Mina could wrap around her slender fingers oh-so-easily, it was a teacher.

_Argh! Goddammit I need a sandwich._

She yawned as she stretched out in her chair, lifting her head to look up at the dim ceiling light above.

Her small table in the Arkham Intern's shared office was the only one that was occupied. Everywhere else was empty and dark as night crept higher and higher.

Most interns were now finishing up in the showers and heading home. Jones was currently seeking out a bathroom that wasn't held up by a queue of guards who were prepping up for night shift, and most of the higher up Doctors and Psychiatrists were either in their offices or had long since left.

Hence why Mina could actually enjoy a few minutes of solid uninterrupted peace-

"I weaken all men for hours each day. I show you strange visions while you are away. I take you by night, by day take you back. None suffer to have me, but do from my lack. What am I?"

Make that a very interrupted peace.

"Yeah I am pretty tired Edward" Mina groaned as she wheeled her chair around.

There standing behind her was Edward Nygma, the Riddler, leaning against another desk his hands in the pockets of in the lurid-orange Arkham jumpsuit.

He smirked amusedly at her raised brow.

"You're leaving then huh?"

"Yes. And whilst I have, surprisingly, rather enjoyed these past few months, I find I must escape these dreary shackles and return to the outside world."

"Best of luck with that" Mina snorted and the smirk fell slightly from Riddler's face.

"And what's that supposed to mean?" he hissed but Mina was already countering his rage with her own shrug.

"What? Don't friends wish each other best of luck whenever they up and go for new horizons"

There was a pause in which Edward gazed at her with wide surprised eyes. But the moment was quick to pass as he sauntered over to stand closer to her chair a wide smirk spread over his face.

"I guess when you put it that way…though you and I both know _I_ of all people, don't need to be wished something as frivolous as _luck_ "

"True. Still doesn't hurt to have some anyway. Just in case" Mina snorted only to stiffen as the Rogue stepped into her rather wide personal bubble and slid a small card across the table at her.

"if you should ever need to find me" Edward murmured his smirk softening ever so slightly "Or if you should find yourself becoming increasingly bored with this dreary desk job"

"Thanks" Mina took the card, white with a green question mark, and slipped it quickly into the flap of her phone-case much to the Riddler's delight.

"No miss Poole…thank _you_ "

* * *

"Mistah J! the boys are all ready to go"

"Finally! Took you shmucks long enough" A shadow in a moth-eaten armchair stood to its feet and dusted its purple suit off before reaching to the small side table and picking off of it a small phone.

It dialled a number quickly, humming softly as it waited for the ringing to stop.

Once it did it grinned widely.

"Hello Harv, Harvey or whichever one of you is in charge of the suit on the other end-but anyway listen…I need to call in an old favor…"

* * *

"So Riddler's out then" Jones growled gruffly as he steered his and Mina's ride off the long bridge that joined Arkham Island to the main city.

"Yeah. Thank fuck for that" Mina groaned as she leaned back in the front passenger's seat "At least that's one rogue off my roster, and more time to get to Patient X."

"Boss will be pleased to hear that" Jones nodded "He asked me to remind you that he's still waiting on-"

"The sample I know" Mina growled "and I'll say it again, I'll give it to him when I get hold of it. The Titan plants in the greenhouse are almost ready, but I have to wait till they actually start blooming naturally. Only then will the chemical compound in their spores be ready to be bonded to the rest of the cure."

"You can't extract it now and manipulate it in a lab or something?" Jones frowned as they both sped over the end of the long bridge and back into the mass that was Gotham City.

Mina shook her head.

"Too dangerous. The plants are sensitive to thermal radiation. If I or anyone else were to even touch the bulbs with the spores, even with gloves, they'd release the spores prematurely and we'd lose all of them. It would then take even longer to wait for more bulbs to grow and that is time we cannot afford"

She then looked at Jones, eyebrow quirked.

"Speaking of your boss, he's been off the radar for a good couple of weeks"

"he's busy" Jones bristled uncomfortably, hands flexing on the steering wheel "said he's chasing up a lead."

"A lead on what?"

"No idea. But it's nothing you need to concern yourself with" Jones clipped, his one good eye hardening in warning.

But Mina wasn't afraid. Instead she snorted.

"It's because of the thing with Batman that time, isn't it? Thought so" she rolled her eyes as Jones' jaw clenched tight.

Not that Mina could blame him.

Three weeks ago, she had been eating out at a local café close to her apartment. Her Ghost had been there with her, wrapped up in scarves to hide his face as they sat out in the cold.

They had been discussing Crane's notes, Mina trying to explain as much as she could quietly whilst her Ghost filled in the blanks with his own research.

The going was slow. Though a long term inmate at Arkham, there was very little information on Doris Darling's life before her descent and incarceration. Even Crane's notes didn't seem to have much.

Most of them instead were focused on his observations of her powers and of her behaviour during his treatment sessions.

And only one of the tapes ever mentioned Joker once.

It was during an interview, in which Crane had mentioned the Clown Prince of Crime's first escapade from Christmas Eve night in passing. Mina could never forget the chill that ran down her spine as she had listened how Doris had laughed and chortled.

"Oh my goodness! Well what do you know, I never knew the boy had it in him" the old woman had cried before descending into giggles.

It was this particular transcript that she and her ghost had been looking through when she had received a call on her phone.

Picking it up she was not too pleased to hear the voice of the Dark Knight growling at her on the other end.

He had tried to interrogate her about who she was with, but was forced to back down when Mina managed to convince him that it was just Jones, rugged up against the cold.

It was a convincing lie on Mina's part. Jones hated the cold and often complained about it to her, he also hated having so many people staring at his gruff face and his eyepatch, and often made it a point to hide it when he had to follow Mina out in public.

But still it wasn't enough to sway the Caped Crusader from making a visit later that night.

That hadn't been fun at all.

Mina scowled as she looked through the car window and up at the now very dark skies just beyond the top of the nearest building.

Dark, cloudy, about to rain.

_Gotham weather at its finest_

"Still sure you want to go out to get groceries?" Jones grunted as he pulled the car in to stop at a red light. "Looks like it's gonna piss down any second, and if it does, traffic's gonna be a nightmare on Miagini Island"

"Jones, the traffic always is a nightmare" Mina rolled her eyes as she let her eyes wander over the mostly empty street they had just turned into.

Just in time to see the bright white of headlights zooming in fast.

There was a loud crash! Glass smashed, metal bent and Mina and Jones both cried out as they began to spin wildly across the road. Their vehicle only stopped spinning when it hit a pole on Jones' side, crushing the door of the back seat.

Mina's ears wrung, her head spun as it lay resting on the airbag and her arm was throbbing from the shoulder which she could feel bending at a very strange angle.

She could smell the blood from where the glass shards had cut against her face, and taste the rain as it splashed through the shattered front window.

The sound of footsteps reached her ears and groggily she turned her head, her eyes seeing double shadows as someone rushed to her car door and shoved it open.

"Quick get the broad and get out" a gruff voice echoed oddly in her brain as the shadow reached into the car and grabbed at her.

She cried out in pain as her bunged up arm twisted even more painfully as with a large tug, she was wrenched out of her seatbelt and into the grimy grip of a man.

And she meant man in the loosest sense, for he smelled more like a pig from a sty and grunted like one too.

"Oy try to be careful!" another voice hissed from the side "The boss says he wants her alive and in one piece"

"Funny" the pig that held Mina snorted "Usually boss likes things in pairs, like Noah of the fucking ark"

"Not this time" the other voice sniggered "This time he just wants this one. But who knows, maybe he'll heh-split the profits if ya know what I mean"

Mina whined as her body was roughly deposited onto the leathery back seat of a car, (which distinctly stank of alcohol, sex and piss) trying hard not to panic as she briefly caught sight of the car wreckage against the pole just a few metres away outside the door on the opposite end of the street.

"Jones" she breathed, but already one of her new captors had shut the door and was hopping in at the front with his mate, their forms separated by a barrier of metal mesh.

By the time she was strong enough to even roll over to her side, the car was already speeding down and away down a dark alleyway and out of sight.

* * *

A man in a purple suit grinned wide, his red lips standing out starkly against his pasty white skin.

The police sirens were blaring, the night was young and rearing, and so was he. Or at least he was rearing to go. Even he had to admit that he was beginning to get on in years.

But no grey hairs were streaking his hair yet, he giggled to himself as he slicked a hand through the green locks.

_Just a few minutes till showtime_

he grinned to himself

_but first a visit to dear Harvey's I think to pick up my present._

And what a present it would be.

Absently his gloved hands fiddled with his green bowtie, as an uncharacteristically sombre frown graced the red lips.

No matter how much time he had spent working up to his moment, he couldn't deny the small butterflies that had been flittering about his thin gut all evening.

All the effort, all the work he'd put into making this moment. All the months, no, all the _years_ and finally, _finally¸_ it was here.

Quietly he shoved a white gloved hand to rummage around the inside pocket of his suit and pulled out something small and circular.

A pocket watch.

It was old and beaten and scratched, the silver paint slightly flaking over the front where a smiling comedy mask was embossed into the metal. He let his fingertip trace over the grin before flicking the watch open to reveal a small photograph.

The corners of his mouth twitched upwards ever so slightly as he held it up so that one of the two faces in the photograph were illuminated clearly in the dim light of the room above him.

It was a little girl, small, frail and dainty looking like a doll. Her sheet of long white blonde hair pulled back from her sweet face, exposing two round big black eyes that shone as she smiled wide for the camera.

"Everything's all set to go Darling" a voice smoothly hissed as fingers caressed the young face on the paper. "Don't worry. It'll all be over, and we'll be together again before you know it. Not even dear old Bats can stop me this time"

* * *

"So…this is the infamous Mina Poole. We have to admit, we expected more"

"Yeah join the club" Mina scowled from her seat as she looked up to look at the rogue that towered over her.

Harvey "Two-Face" Dent. The ex-White Knight of Gotham. His half burnt face scowled down at her form as she languidly leaned back in the chair she had been tied to. Or at least mostly tied to.

One of her arms had been tied in a sling by one of the men that had abducted her. It was a clumsy attempt, one only done to appease Two-Face's anger upon seeing the injury.

Apparently he needed her alive and in one piece and not two like he usually liked.

Hence why he personally was sitting with her in this boring basement whilst his men secured the perimeter about his base of operations…or wherever and whatever this place was.

Mina clucked her tongue quietly to herself as she looked the rogue in the face.

Though she worked extensively with many a rogue from C-Block, she'd never actually seen Dent up close before. His unburnt side was handsome and even kindly looking, casting a stark contrast to the red and raw snarling monster that was the burnt side. His suit too was tailored white on one side and black on the other.

_Wow…when they said he was split minded they really weren't joking_

"I remember seeing you in the papers" She snorted softly.

"We're in a lot of papers" the rogue hissed, blue eyes narrowing dangerously.

"I meant when I was a kid" Mina countered quickly uninjured hand clenching tightly at her chair arm. "right before you…uh…well, before the mess with Falcone. My father used to follow your campaign. One of the few times I ever saw him so engrossed in something that wasn't work" she added with a hollow snort.

"Glad we could provide such entertainment" Two-Face sneered but Mina could see that he was holding himself back from lunging like she knew he was tempted to do.

She'd read in the Arkham notes that Two-Face didn't like others prodding into the incident with Falcone, much less his campaign. Indeed, her boss Doctor Young often stated that Harvey could sometimes be prone to snapping at the mere mention of the mob bosses name.

So that just begged the question to Mina, if she an absolute stranger had just pushed all the wrong buttons for this rogue then why wasn't he reaching out to snap her neck now.

As if reading her thoughts Two-Face snorted softly.

"You're wondering why we are not acting out?"

"From what I've read of your notes the events I've mentioned tend to trigger you off" Mina shrugged.

"Yes. We do not like talking about it. Especially not to those doctors"

"And yet you let me prattle on?" Mina's eyebrows rose. "Why?"

"Because you called it like it was. A mess." Dent's eyes narrowed as he leant back from her arms folded. "A mess with the corrupt and the unworthy of Gotham trying to claw their way to the top."

Mina stiffened as she watched the rogue lean back against a nearby table, his hand reaching down into his pocket.

Something silver flashed a little in the dim light above.

"We remember your case" he rumbled softly as he looked down on the coin. "Our first just before becoming District Attorney. Halloween, Black Mask's scum all dead in a hole in the wall and only you alive in the middle."

"Fucking hell, just how many of you guys were on that case?"

"It was an interesting case" he answered simply and Mina felt her veins turn to ice as he began to flip the coin casually in his fingers. "Fate obviously was on your side that day"

"Funny. I always felt fate was out to fuck me over and spit me back out"

Mina scowled and for the first time since he entered the room, Two-Face allowed the corners of his mouth to quirk upwards.

"Fate and luck aren't evil forces Miss Poole" he said softly as he lovingly caressed his precious coin in his hands. "They're fair, equal"

"Fair is it, that good innocent people like my foster parents were killed by a mad clown?" Mina spat almost cursing herself as her voice wavered for the slightest moment "was it fair for all those other kids in the smuggling ring to get left behind whilst the pretty ones like me got snatched up by the other _good_ Samaritans of Gotham? Was it fair that people like you or me with decent heads on our shoulders and actual smarts to survive got screwed up by corrupt systems and stupid vapid morons?"

"No. it's not" Two-Face agreed solemnly and for an instant Mina saw the broken remains of the DA she had once seen in those newspapers stare back out from the burnt scars "Life's not fair. But thankfully this is"

He held up his lucky coin and Mina rolled her eyes.

"Y'know I thought the other doctors were kidding when they told me you were a big tosser." She smirked and Two-Face allowed himself a small laugh, not the sneer he'd first graced her with, but a real chuckle of amusement.

"And we thought he was kidding when he said you had spunk"

"Oh yeah? And who told you I had _spunk_?" Mina growled through gritted teeth as the rogue stepped forwards and leant in to whisper into her ear.

"Who do you think _Darling_?"

Mina could not even find it in herself to feel afraid anymore.

Deep down she'd always known it was a matter of time before it happened. The trigger had been pulled and now finally the gun was going off, and it was going to shoot her point blank in the chest.

She could only hope it would end quickly, but knowing her luck, it probably wouldn't.

So it was with a bleak expression on her face that she watched the split-faced arkham rogue quietly check his phone from his pocket.

"That was him." He grunted "Our _friend_. He's on his way now to pick you up."

"Oh joy" Mina mumbled but was surprised to see something like intrigue and sympathy flash in those blue eyes.

"y'know…it's strange" he murmured quietly thoughtfully. "it's just bad form to not repay your debts. But we like you, we won't deny it. You've got a head on your shoulders, you're a survivor but most of all you see the world as it really is and you're not afraid to say it like it is. Honesty is the foundation of trust and that's rare in this city. I'm willing to bet most men would kill to keep someone that honest working with them, including us."

"Then keep me. If that's what you really want. It's not like I'm tied to anything at the moment…besides this chair I mean" Mina added, but deep inside she could feel her gut slipping.

Words…empty meaningless words.

Even as he held out his hand, the silver coin quivering as it balanced on his thumb nail, she knew that it was no use.

Their _mutual friend_ would never let anyone have her. He'd killed her parents to prove it, and he'd most likely kill anyone else who dared get in the way.

_Where's a vigilante when you need them?_

She barely heard the characteristic heads and tails, barely saw the coin rise and fall, or hear the disappointed tutting of the rogue, who then stepped towards the room door and opened it, but not before glancing back and giving her one last long look.

"You know; fate is really a funny thing Miss Poole" he said curiously. "It was us who helped your parents get through the system so they could adopt you after we owed them a favour for saving our life. And now here we are thirteen years later, about to give you back to the one you truly belong to, in order to repay another favour."

"I belong to no one save myself, and as long as I live and breathe I will always be my own master. And no amount of fate or chance can take that from me. Not in a million years"

Mina snapped, dark eyes flashing as she gripped her chair hard, nails digging into the wood as she watched her captor disappear out the door, his last chuckles echoing eerily about her.

A premonition no doubt of what was to come.

* * *

"What do you mean you lost her?!" the garbled voice hissed quietly, but the sound still carried throughout the private hospital ward like a knife.

"The bastards rammed us from the side. Took her before I could get my bearings." Diego Jones gulped, not out of fear, but because the pain meds had yet to kick in and numb the ache in his broken leg.

Ghost however did not care for the man's pain. His only concern was that he wasn't making himself clear enough.

"and how, pray tell, did this car know exactly where and when to hit you when you were supposed to be incognito"

But Jones didn't fumble or piss himself in fear. Instead he rolled his eyes.

"Listen whoever fucked up the car obviously has been keeping watch over us for weeks, and probably knows our traffic routes. As for being incognito the car is also listed as a licensed cop vehicle. One which I _had_ to use, what with the commish and the Bat on my case every week."

Ghost backed away a hand running over his head, which was covered in a green cap that matched his disguise, a male nurse's uniform of Gotham General.

Blue eyes flared like flames as he pinched his nose and took several deep breaths from under his thin mouth mask.

"Did you at least get a look of the other car?"

"No" Jones growled "I was still out of it when they took her. All I heard was one of them taking a crack at their boss, comparing him to Noah of the fucking ark because he likes things in-"

"pairs." Ghost finished quietly.

"I take it you'd know someone who fits the description boss?" Jones growled, his one good eye glaring fiercely.

"Something like that" Ghost nodded as he made to turn to the door.

"Boss wait" Jones called and he paused turning to quirk a brow. "when you find the fucking turd, give 'im hell."

Under the medical scrubs Ghost smirked.

"Don't I always"

* * *

Her eyes were covered when the transaction took place. Truth be told it was just an exchange as there was no money involved, but it was the same difference to Mina.

She'd been the subject of enough transactions as a child.

All of them followed a pattern.

First was the greeting, in which both parties tried to intimidate the other, mostly for the sake of the men in charge so they could boost their _ferocious_ images in front of their goons and fellow businessmen. Depending on how good the relationship was between the parties present, this could appear either as a joke or as a serious threat.

Either way, once their personal egos had been fed, the businessmen often then made to pay their respects to one another and gain trust. This always was the most tenuous time of a deal, one in which had even Mina's palms sweating slightly. For it was in this moment that everything could go to hell, a hell that included a lot of violence and gunfire and death.

But if all did go well, then the exchange itself would go through smoothly as intended, except of course if a certain bat just so happened to pop right in for a visit.

For the first time in her life, Mina found herself pricking her ears for a sound of the Dark Knight…or indeed of anyone hiding in the rafters as a long thin lone finger caressed the side of her face.

"Don't worry my darling. I'll be along in a bit. Now be good for the nice men, finish all your homework and be in bed by nine"

"Sorry but I don't do curfews" Mina spat, flinching away from the touch on her cheek.

Several of the men around her chuckled amusedly under their breath. But it was the one with his hand on her face that giggled loudest of all.

"Oh my Darling how I've missed your cheeky wit" he pinched her cheek, or rather her cheekbone and then tutted "by goodness was your face always that thin? I distinctly remember you being as plump as a cherub"

"times change" Mina growled. "and so have I"

"So I see" the giggles softened to a hiss that made all the other men in the room fall silent.

Then suddenly he barked.

"Harley! Harley my girl, get this poor dear into the truck with our boys and then bring the car around. It's _showtime!_ "

Mina then felt several hands grab at her, though she made no move to struggle.

Instead all she did was quietly drop a little something onto the floor something which she quietly kicked over to a crate before she was shoved into the back of a large truck, which was quick to start moving along as if it were being chased by the devil itself.

_Well…I don't know about devil. But I could really do with a bat right now…or a ghost…_

* * *

"Master Bruce! Quick turn on the news"

"what is it Alfred?"

"Sir it's the Joker, he's out in the open. He says he's got the Mayor"

"I'm on my way. Wait Alfred, what's the status on Mina Poole"

"unclear sir, she has not arrived at her apartment with sergeant Jones though that may be because she might still be working at the Asylum"

"Run a check on all personnel at Arkham, see if Mina has left the Island. If she hasn't call Gordon and tell him to bring her to the GCPD immediately."

"Of course sir. I shall get down to it straight away. And perhaps I could send Master Tim along with them for the extra protection during the transfer."

"Good idea. But when he goes make sure Tim stays far from the penitentiary as possible"

"Of course sir. Oh and Master Bruce"

"Yes Alfred?"

"Sir…good luck"

* * *

The hands that beat the men senseless were strong and brutal. Their owner even more so.

He was a tall man in the prime of his youth and fitness, garbed in what could only be described as armor with a smooth helmet of red fitted snugly over his skull.

It was through this that Ghost spoke, his deep and garbled so that it sounded all the time like the terrifying growl of a crazed beast as he snarled up at the man he held up by the throat against the wall.

"WHERE IS YOUR BOSS? ANSWER ME?!"

"N-no idea" the man rasped clutching fruitlessly at his constricted windpipe. "S-seriously…no-no idea…boss just left…after the deal…didn't say where…"

"Deal? What deal?" Ghost hissed as he lowered the man ever so slightly against the bricks.

"the d-deal with the clown" the man gasped "the clown was here. With Harley Quinn…and all his goons. Had a truck…put in…"

"What was put in?" Ghost's voice was now a deadly whisper as he pulled out his gun and held it up to the man's head as he fumbled for words "You better tell me what was going into that truck in three seconds or I'll blow your brains out. One…two…thr-"

"A GIRL!" the petrified man bleated like a terrified sheep. "It was a girl. Tall, blonde, thin. They blindfolded her. Put her in the truck. Said he wanted her at the party safe and sound."

"And did they say where this _party_ was? Or do you need me to give you another reminder-" Ghost pushed the gun barrel against the man's head again and was satisfied to hear the squeak that came out…at least till the squeak turned into words.

"Arkham" the man panted. "they said they were taking her to Arkham Asylum"

There was a silence as Ghost stared the man down, the red helmet seeming to reflect the light so that it looked to the terrified man like a horrific blood covered skull that came up close into his face.

"There, that wasn't so hard was it?"

**_BANG!_ **

The man dropped to the floor like a stone in a pond, but Ghost was already stepping away from the corpse even before it had hit the ground.

Once the trigger had been pulled, there was no reason to stay behind to see the end result.

The man was dead as a doornail, and only a miracle would've saved him.

No what interested Ghost the most, was the small sliver of white he'd seen close by the man's hovering feet, just peeking out from under a crate.

Swiftly he picked it up and examined it.

It was a card.

White with a green question mark.

_Riddler's mark…but what is it doing here…_

Ghost frowned as he examined the other side of the card on which was written in a slanting hand,

_Given but not always accepted, looked for but not always found, try too hard it becomes a hindrance, but given at the right time it can be a life saver. A friend is always willing to give me freely when you **ask** , but others would give it for a price. What am I?_

There was no name. Not that Ghost needed any, even as he turned back over to the question mark, his fingers feeling the surface until…aha there it was, numbers embossed into the green mark.

_So…Nygma's left his calling card? But why would he do that…unless…unless_

"Smart girl" Ghost growled softly to himself "But not smart enough to stay out of trouble…"

He turned to face a window, through which he could see a large portion of Gotham harbour stretching out like a wide dark mass of ever rolling dunes. His hands clenched by his sides as he caught sight of a small speck of land far away in the distance, dark clouds swirling ominously over the top of it as a storm began brewing.

"Looks like I've got a party to crash"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and phew! final-F-ing-ly! i'm there. i made it.
> 
> almost. Two-Face was an odd experience to write, hopefully i got him alright, or at least i think i got good harvey right, bad harvey didn't make much of an appearance :'(
> 
> Anyways hope you enjoyed this chapter and keep reading and reviewing for more.


	16. Welcome to the Madhouse

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "This used to be a funhouse. But now it's full of evil clowns. It's time to start the countdown. I'm gonna burn it down down down. I'm gonna burn it down" - "Funhouse" P!nk (Alecia Beth Moore)

When Mina opened her eyes it was just as dark as when she'd had them shut tight.

She blinked rapidly, her eyes desperate to latch onto whatever light they could find, but it was no use. There was absolutely nothing at all to see.

On the other hand, she could feel quite a lot.

She seemed to be lying on a cold hard slab. Her left arm ached where it was fastened tightly against her chest in a sling and cast, whilst her other arm was pinned to her side by thick straps. Her legs likewise were bound spread apart.

For a moment Mina was worried this position might stretch her tight pencil skirt painfully, only to discover to her horror that her body was not dressed in office clothes at all.

Instead she could feel the rough canvas like material of a jumpsuit stretch over her body covering her from neck to ankle.

_No…no-no-no-no-no-no-no!_

She struggled hard as she could against her bonds but it was no use, she'd never had much in terms of physical strength, and it was laughable that she even try to fight her way out of this mess.

_I'll just have to wait and wing it…or half wing it._

She grunted in pain as her fractured shoulder throbbed horribly again.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you kiddo!" A high pitched female voice tutted mockingly the sound practically piercing straight through one ear and out the other like a knife as somewhere above her a light flickered into life.

"Don't call me kiddo" Mina growled as a shadow came up beside her, feminine shaped with two long blonde ponytails sticking out of the sides of her head.

But if Harley Quinn heard her she made no move to reprimand her brusqueness.

Instead she just turned her head and barked to someone Mina couldn't see in the shadows.

"OY! Bozos! Get Mistah J on the line would ya! The Kid's woken up"

"Not a fucking kid" Mina mumbled under her breath, rolling her eyes as she heard the lumbering footsteps of someone huge somewhere off to the side.

She turned her head and couldn't contain the cry of horror that escaped her.

There was a hulking figure struggling against thick huge chains.

He was humongous over seven feet tall, clown painted face snarling, muscles bulging and twitching horribly as it writhed against its shackles.

As soon as its tiny and eerily light green eyes locked into her own dark ones, it paused, it's breath heaving out in heavy pants as it stared at her.

Then…

_ROAR!_

The monstrous form lunged, the thick metal chains straining terribly as it tried to claw its way towards the slab, or rather the wheeled gurney, which Harley was quickly moving away shaking her head.

"Uh-uh-uh! Sorry big fella, but playtime's not for another hour" she tutted as she led the gurney towards a door, which a gun wielding clown henchman was holding open for her.

"When I shut the door gas 'im" she hissed to the man who nodded, squeaking as the monster gave another bone numbing roar.

Needless to say Mina was glad, if only temporarily, to see the door shut and lock on the room.

"W-what was that fucking thing?" she hissed up at Harley who glared hard at her.

"Sheesh! What a filthy mouth? Maybe I should wash it out with soap!"

The lights were dim around her, but Mina could tell that wherever she was had definitely seen better days. Broken and smashed doorways lined the long hallway that stretched on for a good twenty meters (maybe more she couldn't tell from where she lay). The paint was peeling, grimy smashed glass flecked over the floor glinting in the light like shards of a broken disco ball.

Then suddenly a dark ceiling obscured her vision, and Mina craned her head upwards just in time to see that she had finally crossed a threshold before her whole world suddenly tilted.

"Careful now! Or else my puddin' will 'ave your heads!" she heard Harley bark to two henchmen that quickly took her place at the head and tail of the gurney. With a small grunt, both of them picked up the ends and began a steady descent down the staircase.

It was a bumpy ride, one which almost made Mina puke, especially when she saw the door at the top close hard with a snap plunging them into semi darkness. The only light that did come to their rescue was from Harley herself as she held up a large floodlight which illuminated her fully to reveal a twisted red, black and white nurses uniform.

Mina felt sick just looking at the woman and shut her eyes as they came to the bottom and walked through another door.

It was grimy, filthy and derelict, with no windows and a dusty air vent in the corner of the high ceiling.

_No way out save the other door_

Mina's heart sank, only to jolt as the gurney was suddenly collapsed and her Velcro bonds undone.

Without even pausing to think, her hands shot up, one of her fists colliding successfully with one of the henchmen's jaws.

He reeled backwards clutching at his face.

Mina meanwhile was swiftly sitting up, only to wince as a long nailed hand slapped her across the face, the index finger cutting a small but clean line under her eye much to hers and her captor's annoyance.

"Damn! I forgot I wasn't supposed to hit you that hard…not yet anyway" Harley muttered darkly to herself as she grabbed the girl by the uninjured shoulder and shoved her into a hard wooden chair.

The wood was rotten and splintered in some places, as if it had been roughly thrown against the wall several times.

But what really had the blood chill in Mina's veins as she was once again bound tight, was the small dark stains of red that splattered over the seat and legs.

Whichever poor soul had been tied to that chair before her had obviously had as little luck as she did…perhaps even less.

She gulped to herself as Harley looked her over.

"Tch! now that's what I call shoddy work. But what can ya expect from Two-Face goons" the clown princess of crime grumbled as she caught sight of the arm in the sling. "Sit still kiddo"

Mina tensed as the other woman came close to her, but was surprised by the gentleness in the touch that handled her arm.

Quietly she allowed the limb to be manipulated back into place, her teeth gritted as pain shot through her side.

"Y'know I gotta admit, for a scrawny runt ya got a pretty high pain threshold" Harley admitted, though it sounded more begrudging than impressed "Most buffoons would be crying and rolling on the floor like stinkin' babies by now"

Mina didn't respond. She felt if she tried to use her mouth she'd scream in pain, or puke, or worse do both at the same time.

So instead she kept her lips pursed tightly, her teeth biting down hard on the inside of her cheek as the sling was re-bound tight so that her arm sat at the right angle against her body.

She barely heard Harley as the lady rogue examined her work, preening herself off proudly as she made to attach a small cutesy child's bandaid to the scratch on her face.

"There that should do it! Now kiddo! Me and the boys are gonna go outside for a sec. You just sit tight and hang on for a minute 'kay"

Mina nodded, but the glare from her dark eyes was so venomous that both the clown henchmen nearly froze where they stood. Even Harley took a step back in alarm, though it was quick to turn into a bristle of discomfort.

"Come on boys" she muttered.

Her henchmen didn't need telling twice and were out the door before even the last syllable had dropped out of the rogue's lips.

Mina watched them, a savage smirk gracing her red lips even as the door shut.

Well at least when they left her alone they couldn't hurt her.

_Now to get out of this chair…_

* * *

There was an eerie silence as the small black motorboat sped across the waters of Gotham Bay.

It's lone occupant, a tall built figure with body armour and a red helmet, did not see the need to make a noise, not when his attention was solely fixed on the small island that zoomed up ever closer to meet him.

If the helmeted man's hunch was correct then the police presence here would be close to non-existent. Yes. All the police would be worried about was the entrance to the Asylum at the West side of the island.

_If I know Joker, he'll want to keep her out of sight and out of mind…somewhere where even Batman won't look…_

The figure's hands gripped the helm steering tighter as he caught sight of the tall old fashioned mansion that loomed just above the cliff face, casting a long shadow over the waters.

How he hated the sight.

But what he hated more, was that someone else had been dragged down into that hell as well.

"I'll find you, by hell or high-water. Just hold on" Ghost whispered into the night as he sped under the shadow of Arkham, unaware that a black armoured car had just sped into the same pit of darkness from the bridge on the opposite side of the island.

* * *

_Just what is Joker's game?_

The blue eyes of the Dark Knight, narrowed as the great wrought iron gates of Arkham Asylum opened at once to admit him.

Behind him a man giggled madly, his red smeared lips splitting apart to reveal a cruel smile.

It only widened even as he was shoved through the front doors of the Intensive treatment building where a short man in a suit was flanked by heavily armed asylum guards.

"hm-hm-hm-Hey Sharpie. Love what you've done with the place" the Joker hissed at the sight of the man.

"That's Warden Sharpe to you" the short man glowered before barking to a guard behind him. "Boles!"

"Yo Frankie!" Joker grinned madly as the man came to approach him slowly and cautiously "How's the wife and kids. Did you miss me-"

"Shut it Clown!" Boles roared hands flying for the scruff of Joker's neck and shoving him forwards "A lot of people here really wanna talk to you"

"Really I don't mind walking" Joker snapped waspishly as he was forced onto a vertical gurney and strapped in tight. "Not so tight boys. You'll crease the suit"

"Get that filthy degenerate out of here" Warden Sharpe snarled as the madman's giggles bounced eerily over the walls.

But that wasn't what had the hairs on the back of Batman's covered neck stand on end.

"Warden something's not right. I'm going with him" the dark knight growled and quickly before anyone could stop him he strode fast to the gurney's side, keeping his eyes fixed on the wide smiling face even as he addressed a guard that stood to the side.

"Is Commissioner Gordon here yet"

"Yes sir. He's err, waiting for you down at Patient Handover. He got here just before you did"

"Sharpie loves his cameras" Joker's voice wafted down the hallway. "Hey Sharpie! You getting my good side? Oh what the heck, they're all good aren't they. Uh-hehehehehehehehehe!"

Batman couldn't blame the younger less experienced guards on duty for shuddering and nearly flinching away from the mad laughter. And neither could he blame the Warden's anger as he barked out orders for his men to get their prisoner back in his cell quickly.

But in spite all of these goings on, the Caped Crusader could not shake off a bad feeling in the back of his head.

It had been a couple of hours since the message about Mina Poole had been sent to him, but still neither Robin nor Commissioner Gordon had contacted him about her status. Either there was nothing to report…or something had happened to her and no one had found out about it yet.

Either way, Batman was worried. Joker wasn't one to quickly drop his obsessions, especially when they involved individuals of interest or value. And Mina had been a source of much intrigue to many since she first stepped foot in Arkham.

Was she just laying low? Or had Joker gotten to her?

There would be only one way to find out.

He barely batted an eye as the big hulking scaly figure of Waylon Jones (aka Killer Croc) passed them by on his way out of the elevator, his yellow reptilian eyes following the Dark Knight's smallest movements.

"I've got your scent Batman! I will hunt you down"

There were a couple of cries from the men, and swiftly a large metal collar sparked off around the big reptilian man's neck.

Killer Croc grunted and buckled but the moment was quick to pass and he was once again baring his sharp teeth menacingly to all the men present before him.

"A toy collar won't stop me from killing you BATMAN! I'll Rip you apart! Eat your bones!" he snarled as he lumbered off, the ground shuddering like miniature earthquake tremors with each one of his large footfalls.

"That reminds me. I really need to get me some new shoes" Joker smirked as the crocodile man passed around a corner and out of sight.

Batman spared the clown prince of crime a glance, but even as he watched his mind once again began to wander.

That whole gag with the Mayor, it was all too easy, too simple for Joker's wild imaginative mind. Why on earth would he risk his freedom for something so small to add to his repertoire…unless…

Batman's jaw clenched as they stepped into the elevator and Joker made to exclaim jubilantly.

"Great night for a party"

"Not where you're going" Batman growled, but Joker just chuckled.

"Haha- the night is young Bats" he sneered "I still have a trick or two up my sleeve. I mean, don't you think it's a little bit funny how a fire at Blackgate caused hundreds of my crew to be moved here"

Yes, Batman had wondered about that. In fact, he was still worrying about that now even as Frank Boles cried out roughly.

"I thought I told you to stay quiet!"

"Oh Frankie" Joker tutted "You really should learn to keep that fat mouth of yours shut. It'll get you into trouble"

"Tell me something" Batman cut across Boles' squawk of indignation smoothly and cleanly "You've never let me catch you this easily. What are you really after?"

"OH nothing much" Joker shrugged nonchalantly as if the Dark Knight had just asked him for a forecast on something as mundane as the weather "Just hundreds dying in pain and fear. All their meaningless lives brought to a horrifying conclusion all thanks to you and a book of matches. Was that the answer you wanted?" he added in a soft hiss.

And then all the lights went out.

* * *

Mina's body ached all over as she struggled to her feet.

She'd managed to undo her bonds with a sharp knife she'd found hidden under the underside of a grimy, sticky desk in the corner of the room. It had been a long difficult struggle, one which resulted in a couple of small cuts to her arms which she quickly sucked on before any of the red could drip onto the floor.

_Plasters…need plasters_

She hissed in pain as she rummaged in a small box that had fallen from a tall dilapidated bookshelf. It was by far, the only piece of anything in this room that was remotely clean…or at least it didn't have what felt like years' worth of grime coating its surface.

"Gotcha!" she hissed in victory as she quickly found a couple of large Band-Aid plasters which she clumsily stuck over the wounds. There was no antiseptic, but she'd have to make do till she could get out of here…wherever here was.

She heard footsteps outside the door and froze, terror flooding her as she heard the grunts and snarls of something huge.

Quietly as she dared, she snuck up to the small glass window set in the door and, standing on her tip-toes peered cautiously out.

There thudding heavily down the corridor, was the strange humanoid creature she'd seen when she'd opened up. It was surrounded by several clown goons, carrying electric rods, which they used to herd the monstrous form around the corner of the corridor.

It looked even more terrifying in the light, especially since she could see something that looked horribly like bone, sticking out from where it's spine should be smoothly concealed by skin.

Unbidden a memory from a couple of months back filled Mina's head.

She'd been in the lab with Doctor Young, Bane strapped and strung up along a wall, the pipes sucking all the venom slowly from his bloodstream as he hung there loose and limp like a rag doll.

But Mina had barely paid attention to him. Now that he was docile and weakened, there really was no point in looking at him, save when she needed to either inject him with nutrients or take his blood samples.

It was of one of these blood samples she now thought about, and the test subject it had been administered to. A small harmless gecko that could fit in the palm of her hand...until the venom formula had transformed it into a vicious reptilian menace that had almost taken half her arm. She was just lucky she'd managed to drop the vile thing into the small freezing unit before it could escape her clutches and run amok.

That lizard too, had had a dorsal spine extruding from the back, and like the man (for she was assuming the _thing_ had once been human) did not seem to recognize anything save its own primal instincts.

_But what would Joker want with Venom…no wait…Jones had confirmed that the venom supply was used up two weeks ago…so that means…_

"Titan" Mina breathed her free hand clapping hard to her forehead as she slid down the length of the locked door "I can't believe it! That fucking bitch actually got it working"

She pinched the bridge of her nose.

It all made sense. The secretiveness, the fear. Young must have been working for Joker this entire time but wanted out. And when Mina's parents had been attacked, Young had distanced her, not to keep her safe but to keep Joker's attention off of her project and onto someone else.

Fury bubbled in Mina's gut as she backed away from the door and looked around herself, muttering words she'd often repeated to herself even from a very young age.

"I'm not going to die here"

She grabbed onto a chair to steady herself as she stumbled over her trembling feet.

"I'm _not_ going to die _HERE!_ "

She looked up and caught sight of the air ventilation shaft high above her on the wall, just below the tall ceiling.

It wasn't ideal…but it would have to make do.

* * *

Joker grinned and giggled madly as he slammed the guard and the doctor that had tried to deliver him safely over the threshold.

Even though he'd planned and rehearsed the idea in his head (as all great performers do) he was still amazed at how well it had turned out.

Not only was Batman actually playing along, but so was the commissioner. Now this really would be a party. True the Clown Prince of Crime was disappointed that the Bat's Boy Wonder partner was a no show, but hey, sometimes you can't have your cake and eat it too.

"The choke's on you!" he hissed down to the fallen guard before skipping away gleefully. "Hi-hi-ha-ha-ha-ho-ho-ho!"

Behind him he could hear the crash and thud as the Dark Knight made to smash his way over through the bullet proof glass.

But Joker didn't care.

His smile widened as he pointed up to a camera in the ceiling.

"honey I'm ho~me!"

"Come on in puddin'" his doormat-or rather- Harley Quinn simpered through the speaker system.

He was through the security doors before Batman could even get close to the ramp. But it didn't matter to him. He'd got what he wanted anyhow.

"Welcome to the Madhouse Batman!" he cheered arms thrown out wide "I set a trap and you sprang it _gloriously!_ Now let's get this party started"

And with that he began running, his smile widening even more as he heard the cries and thuds of the inmates that had crowded around his nemesis.

_That's it just a little bit further-aha! Here it is home sweet home!_

He turned a corner just in time to see a large rectangular cell drift in from a chain and railing attached to the ceiling.

Quick as lightning he strode towards it, all the while pulling out a small wireless web-camera from his pocket and coughing into it.

"Testing, one two three. One two, ah there we go" he smirked as the mic crackled to life and visuals appeared on the nearby surveillance screens.

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" He cried "I apologize for this interruption to your regular entertainment. Up until a few seconds ago, I was going to kill everyone in the room and then watch cartoons. But then well…you know how I do love a captive audience"

He giggled madly once more, unaware that in an air vent in the wall to his left, someone was watching his every move.

* * *

_The bastard…still as crazy as I remember him_

Ghost growled behind his red helmet as he watched the mad clown make to sit at a stair just next to the hanging isolation cell and talk into it, all the while keeping a shrewd watch on the surveillance screens.

Ghost's gut boiled as he watched the visuals change as different cameras caught the Batman's progress on the screens. He was moving quickly through, even when he had to silently take down Victor Zsasz in one of the holding cells and clear a corridor full of Joker's Laughing gas.

But he wasn't moving fast enough.

_Killing would've definitely sped up the process_

Ghost growled softly to himself as he watched the Batman beating up several thugs in the hallway just outside the Joker's hiding place.

Joker seemed to notice it too and turned off the webcam before jumping atop of the holding cell which rattled ominously even as the Bat strode through the door.

_Time to get out. Before his gadgets spot me_

But even as he shimmied his way backwards through the air vents, Ghost's fingers clenched tight, as if doing their best to resist the urge to wrap around the dark knight's throat.

No, he told himself firmly.

The time to kill the bat would come.

He just had to be patient.

And he needed to find _her_ before Joker…or Batman.

* * *

"What took ya so long?"

Batman glared hard as a batarang deftly flew from his grip.

Joker ducked quickly as the small metal object struck the thick iron chain behind him with a sharp _ting_ , chortling loudly even as his foe growled darkly.

"There's no escape Joker. I will find you"

"Oh I'm counting on it. just not yet!" Joker's sneer widened as he stomped his foot down on top of the holding cell.

At once the heavy door fell open and a cloud of hot stinking vapour flooded the room.

The scent of blood, flesh and sweat permeated the room as a large, no HUGE clawed hand gripped the threshold, its strength pulling forward its owner.

"Oooh! He's a big one" Joker's leer widened, if possible, even more as he caught sight of the momentary shock on Batman's face.

The thing that had just emerged, was humungous. It was over seven to eight feet tall, with ripped bulging but uneven muscles. Its humanoid face was gaunt and sickly, making it appear skull like especially when it bared its teeth. Small patches of muscle tissue and bone were visible in certain parts as the skin's elasticity was stretched to the very limit of its genetic properties.

But most alarming were its eyes. Two glowing sickly green orbs that flashed brightly as it caught sight of the Batman standing before it.

The Dark Knight barley made it out of the way as it roared loudly and leapt out at him, a beast ready to rip him apart.

It would be easy to take down, he had faced far worse adversaries before. But even Batman couldn't deny the small niggling of fear in his gut every time he looked at the creature when he had to strike it down.

It was all too familiar.

The bestial ferocity, the mindless swiping...the wild eyes. All of it he had seen before thirteen years ago on that fateful Christmas night at Blackgate Penitentiary.

Just what was Joker playing at?

With a final hard strike he sent the creature reeling back. He tensed as he anticipated the charge it had been so fond of utilizing but paused as he saw it clutch hard at its head.

It swayed ominously as it let loose a very loud, almost human moan of pain.

Then it began to retch and clutch at its chest.

_A heart attack?!_

Batman's eyes narrowed as the creature gave a loud and last final gasp and fell backwards into the floor with a heavy thud that made the whole room tremble.

"Well" Joker blinked with surprise "That was unexpected wasn't it. Note to self, need stronger test subjects" he added softly.

_Test subjects?_

Batman's fists clenched as the Joker continued on his ranting, opening his arms wide.

"Seeing as how I'm feeling generous, I'll give you this one for free. Knock me off, I dare you! Pull the plug, stop me once and for all."

And oh how Batman was tempted.

Just one sharp batarang to slice through the madman's head and it would all be over.

The dark endless abyss was so inviting, so tantalizingly seductive…

But no…no…he couldn't allow himself to fall…not yet-no not ever.

Joker's laughter rattled horribly around the confines of his head as he lowered his weapon to his side.

"Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha! You're getting too predictable Bats!" Joker shook his head trying his best to swallow his chuckles and speak as the doors to Extreme Isolation opened behind him and the now empty hanging cell began to move backwards along the chain it was linked to.

"Well I'd love to stay and chat but I've got a party to organize. I've got guests flying in from all over Arkham. Why, even my dear little _darling_ has decided to join me. Why the two of you will be having so much fun you'll never want to leave. You'll see. Hi-hi-hi-hi-hi-hi-hi!"

"NO!" Batman growled as he finally flung the batarang, but too late.

It rebounded of the swiftly shutting doors and bounced back to him just as the last lock had secured itself in place.

* * *

"FUCK!" Mina yelled.

The fall had been painful, even more so than it should have been because she'd landed on her dislocated shoulder.

"well that went quickly to shitsville" she muttered darkly as she gingerly sat up and looked about herself.

The makeshift pile of furniture she had tossed together in the corner of the room under the air vent was now scattered all over the floor save for the chair she'd first been strapped to.

True it had taken her weight when she'd been seated, but other than that it didn't look like its legs would've been able to hold out when she'd tried to jump up to reach the vent.

She froze as she examined the chair more closely.

There to the side, just above the dried up bloodstains was a small black shaped brand burnt into the high back.

"No…it can't be"

Crawling over she reached out and slid a finger over the mark, over the straight horizontal line and then to the slender crook that descended from its centre.

Quickly her hands flew to her back, sliding under the horrible orange jumpsuit she wore and over her skin.

There. She could feel it. A horizontal line and a crook, the same thickness and the same size as the one on the chair.

Crash!

"Hello Darling miss me?!"

Mina wheeled about, her mouth falling open in horror as she looked upon the person that had burst into the room.

A purple suit, yellow shirt, green bowtie that matched his hair. The pale chalk white skin of his face made the crude red painted smile of her nightmares stand out starkly even as he gazed at her in the dim light with his light green eyes which widened slightly with surprise at her position on the floor.

"Now what's this Darling? I thought I told you to sit tight till I came back"

Mina didn't respond. Pure terror had taken hold over all her muscles and nothing but the essential organs in her body could even move a millimetre, not even as the Joker himself strode towards her and reached out for her bare ankle.

When his fingers grazed the skin she flinched, and for the first time since she'd fallen noticed the throbbing and swelling in the limb.

It looked like the size of a balloon.

"tut-tut-tut" Joker raised his eyes to examine the Band-Aids on her face and body as well as the arm in the sling. "I told Two-Face to be gentle with you. Guess I'll have to give him a good beating once this night is through"

"Two-Face didn't do this to me" Mina bleated over the lump in her throat, a shiver running through her as a pair of green eyes locked with her own dark ones.

"Oh Darling. You always were so considerate of others weren't you? Even those that used to bully you." he shook his head softly as he gently examined her swollen ankle. "But don't worry. After tonight no one in this madhouse will ever touch you agai-AH!"

He cried as something cold and fleshy smashed into the side of his face.

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" Mina shrieked, retracting her uninjured foot quickly as she scrambled away from him her hand flying out to grab wildly at the floor.

Swiftly her hands found the same knife she'd used to cut her bonds, and she held it up in front of her, right in front of the pale pointed nose of the Clown Prince of Crime who grinned.

"You know. It's dangerous to point sharp pointy objects into someone's face"

"WHY?! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? WHAT DID I EVER DO TO YOU?! WHY ME?" Mina yelled her hand tightening over her weapon as the smile returned to the rogue's face.

It was a taut leer. An evil thing, more terrifying than a roar of rage.

"Hmm…Why you? Now that is an interesting question"

With a swift swipe, his hand shot forwards, twisting the blade out of her grip before bringing it lighting fast to her neck.

Mina shut her eyes, waiting for the slice of her skin and the warm oozing of blood as he leaned into her, his hot breath fanning her face.

When he opened his mouth to speak, his voice was smoother and colder than any serpents hiss.

"Tell me something Darling. Have you ever had a _really bad day?_ "

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAHAHA! we're there we're finally bloody there! WHOOO! 
> 
> So stoked to finally have reached. I've just been getting so pumped since the Oz-Comic-con in sydney because i got to meet so many of my fave comic artists including a couple that worked for DC! XD it was so awsome!!
> 
> hope you guys enjoyed and keep reviewing for more
> 
> P.S. happy birthday evy. hope you enjoyed :)


	17. The Really Bad Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "All it takes is one bad day to reduce the sanest man alive to lunacy. That's how far the world is from where I am. Just one bad day."  
> ― Alan Moore, Batman: The Killing Joke

 

"Tell me something Darling. Have you ever had a _really bad day?_ "

Mina stared at the pasty pale face, eyes wide as confusion began to overlap her terror.

"I-I'm sorry?" she spluttered.

The mad red smile widened ever so slightly as words slipped out of it, smoother than a hiss of silk as it slides over a hard floor.

"A really bad day. You know, the kind that just starts out absolutely awful and just keeps snowballing downhill till everything crashes into an avalanche of crazy. No? Well I guess I'll just have to tell you all about it. But first things first…let's get you more comfortable hmm?"

Mina barely had the chance to scream before a ragged strip of cloth was shoved into her mouth. A second later she was being dragged by the hair before being thrown down hard on the very gurney she had been wheeled in on.

"NO!" she shrieked as she spat out the cloth from her mouth, but too late.

Her legs were quickly strapped in securely to the slab. Her free hand wildly reached out to grab at them, only to be enveloped by something thick and white.

She struggled wildly as the mad man enveloped her from behind, his arms quickly making to secure several braces and belts around her.

She whimpered, tears leaking from her eyes against her will as her captor's arms lingered around her form for the briefest moment in a tight embrace before retracting away to push her flat back against the gurney, a belt looped over her chest securing her down.

"there" he crooned, stroking a gentle white gloved hand over her brow, brushing away the white blonde locks from her distressed face. "Isn't that better? Now you'll be as snug as a bug in the asylum to enjoy your bedtime story"

Mina bit on her lip hard, shutting her eyes tight as he stroked her cheek, wiping away at her tears.

"Now, how does the story go again. Oh yes but of course. Ahem" he cleared his throat and puffed out his chest importantly

" _Once upon a time_ there was a guy named…well…let's just say he was called _Jack_. Now this fella, Jack was a comedian, a real clown you might say… he loved to tease, to joke and to make people laugh…until one rainy day, because fate is fickle, one rainy day, because fortune is cruel…his whole world came crashing down like a ton of bricks on a small sewer rat…"

* * *

The apartment was small, dingy and sparse. The furniture was cheap, and in second-no wait- make that third hand-condition and aging by the minute.

Rain smashed hard on the small windows with small grimy curtains, creating what felt like a constant loud drumroll that didn't even pause as a man strode through the apartment doors.

He was tall and lanky, with a thin pointed face and nose and dark jet black eyes, half hidden under his mop of wet dark hair which he scrubbed hard with his hand in an attempt to dry it.

_There goes the suit_

He sighed heavily as he looked over his dark drenched and worn clothing and his positively soaked umbrella.

"Welcome home"

The words made the man jump in alarm. But even as he looked up he smiled.

There sitting at the very small square dining table at a rickety old chair, was a woman. In spite of the tiredness in her face, she was very pretty with long pale blonde hair tied back in a ponytail and wearing a pink cardigan over her matching nightdress, which stretched over her very full, very pregnant belly.

"So how'd it go? Did they like your act?" the woman smiled up at the man, her hand absently stroking her stomach in a loving caress.

Jack allowed himself the smallest of smiles as he watched the action, until he felt the gnawing hungry beast of guilt begin eating once more at his insides.

"Well…" he scratched the back of his head nervously as he made to sit opposite her at the table "they said they'd…um…call me. Oh! What the heck. I got nervous and blew a punchline"

"Oh…" the woman's blue eyes fell sadly much to the man's frustration.

"What do you mean oh?"

"I-I-I didn't mean anything it's just-" the woman blanched as her husband rounded on her, tired eyes flashing as he leapt to his feet.

"Yes you did. The way you said _oh._ As in 'Oh so you didn't get the job' as in 'oh I should've known' As in 'oh, how are we gonna feed our kids?'"

"Jesus honey all I said was-"

"Do you think I'm not worried about that!" Jack barked over the top of her "Do you think it's all a big joke to me?! Every night I have to go up on that stage and…and nobody laughs! And you think I don't care? You think…you think…"

Jack's voice fell into loud heaving sobs as he crumpled to his knees at the feet of his pregnant wife, who gently petted his head as she held it against her swollen belly.

"Oh god! Oh god Jeanie I'm so sorry" he wept as he returned the embrace tightly "I don't mean to take this out on you. You suffer enough…being married to such a loser!"

"Honey, that's not-" his wife tried patting his head but Jack just shook his head.

"Yes! Yes it is true! I can't support you both-no all _three_ of you-not like this"

"Shh… it's okay" Jeanie smiled warmly down on her husband "We'll be fine. We've been through worse. What's more the baby's not due for another three months. Mrs Berkis will let us slide on the rent for a little longer. She feels sorry for me"

"Yeah well she hates me. She comes out into the hallway to scowl at me every time I climb the stairs, smelling like cat litter and old people." Jack scowled as he straightened up, scrubbing his eyes as he made to look out the window.

"Don't worry sweetheart I'm gonna to get you both out of here before the baby comes. All we need is enough money to at least get us set up in a decent neighbourhood. I mean for heavens sakes there are plenty of girls on the street who earn that much in a weekend, without having to tell a single joke, or blow a punchline"

"Oh come here you" Jeanie laughed, not a condescending laugh, but a warm hearty wonderful laugh that made her husband smile in spite of himself as he took her hand.

"I love you honey, you know that? You make me laugh, you're good in the sack and you're a great father to our little girl, and will be an even better father to our next one." She patted her stomach gently "And honestly, I couldn't ask for a better husband, job or no job"

Jack couldn't find anything to say to that, not without blubbering over the lump in his throat. So he did the next best thing. His smile widening, he knelt down and kissed his wife, first on the lips and then over her full womb, delighting as he felt a small foot kick his cheek through the barrier of cloth and skin.

"Man the little fella's sure got spunk in him"

"What makes you think it's a boy?" Jeanie quirked a playful brow.

"Not sure" Jack shrugged with a small smirk "But I was right with-"

"Mommy?"

Both Jeanie and Jack turned around surprised as small footsteps padded softly into the room.

They belonged to a little girl. She couldn't have been more than five or six years old, and even then she was scrawny for her age. She looked as sweet and as delicate as a porcelain doll, what with her pale skin, rosy cheeks and long white blonde hair that exactly matched Jeanie's in hue, though hers was tied in two low pigtails by two red ribbons.

She scrubbed at her dark eyes with the long sleeve of her pink pyjamas as she looked up at the two adults, her face brightening at once into a smile as she caught sight of Jack's face.

"DADDY! You're back! You're back!" she squealed in delight as she rushed over and flung her arms around her father, who smiled warmly as he returned the hug.

"Darla my little Darling, what are you doing up? You should be asleep."

"I wanted…I wanted-ah" the little girl, Darla yawned wide and her mother shook her head with a fond worn smile.

"You tried waiting up for Daddy again didn't you?"

Darla nodded, pouting as both her parents chuckled softly.

"I'll tuck her in. Come on Darla, bedtime." Jack murmured gently as he swooped down and picked up his sleepy daughter, who instantly wrapped her arms around his neck and curled her face into his shoulder.

"Did you make them laugh today?" Darla whispered as they crossed the threshold to her tiny bedroom.

"No…not today" Jack's face fell slightly, though he quickly refreshed his smile as he pulled back the covers to her bed and laid her down on the sheets.

As he tucked the blankets around her, Darla looked up at him, her dark eyes so much like his own gazing up at him with confusion.

"But why not? You're funny. Why won't they laugh?"

"Oh Darling" Jack sighed as he sat down on her mattress "Sometimes…sometimes people don't find other people funny, even if they are."

"but that's stupid" Darla pouted grumpily. "you make mommy and me laugh"

"Mommy and I" Jack corrected her automatically as he tucked her in under the covers. "But unfortunately Darla, the world isn't full of people as nice and fun as you and your mother. Why there are some people in fact, who have no sense of humour whatsoever?"

"Sense of wha?" Darla cocked her head to the side.

"Humour sweetie. It's another word for being funny. And sometimes people just can't see what's funny even if its staring them in the face" Jack smiled patiently as his daughter's eyes widened with understanding.

"Oh…so that's why Mrs Berkis next door don't ever laugh or smile! She has no sense of hu-humour?"

"That's right she does not" Jack muttered more to himself than to her, all the while doing his best to conceal his own proud smirk of smugness as he leaned in to kiss her on the forehead.

"But that's enough of that. It's late and you need to sleep."

"Kay" Darla yawned again, blinking as her eyelids grew heavy with tiredness "Night, night daddy"

"Nighty night Darling." Jack patted her head. "I love you"

"Love you tooo…" she slurred as sleep finally took her.

* * *

"No…no…no-no-no-no-no!" Mina shook her head frantically as she writhed around frantically like an eel caught in a net.

"Oh yes. And it doesn't end there" Joker hissed, his red smeared grin widening as with slow measured fingers he reached down to her hair, stroking it gently.

"You see, our fellow Jack wasn't quite the honest little breadwinner-or loser in this case- as his dear wifey and child seemed to think. Oh no. Y'see, even before he'd stepped through that door home, Jack knew he wasn't going to get a call back after his gig that night, and why? Because he'd hit a big fat ugly thug in his big fat ugly mug for heckling during his performance"

And at this Joker actually scoffed and shook his head.

"Tch! Urso Basso, Roman Sionis's very own Dancing Bear. More muscles than a gorilla with just as few brain-cells. Still in spite of all his brawn he still was merciful…at least until after his men had gotten a few good hits to poor Jack's gizzard. Y'see not only was Jack a hopeless comic, but he was also a hopeless squealer. Squealed all he had to old Urso about his wife and his lovely little Darling and how he'd given up his job at the old ACE Chemicals so that he could break it big and become a comedian and they'd never have to work in this town again. Why the poor Schmuck was even stupid enough to show the thugs a picture, thinking they'd have pity and give up on him. Instead they offered him a deal."

"In exchange for letting old Jack go, he'd have to help them out in a job of theirs. They wouldn't say what it was, but they needed to steal something from ACE Chemicals, and they needed someone to get them inside and being an ex-employee, Jack was the perfect candidate for the job. They even offered him a cut of the profits from whenever they sold the stuff they'd stolen, a cut that would be enough to get him, his wife and kid out of that crappy apartment. It was almost too good to be true, but even so, oh-so-sensible Jack asked for some time to think about it. _'you have twenty-four hours but don't take too long.'_ Urso told him, his breath stinking of garlic _'and a lot can happen in twenty four hours'._ No truer words have ever been spoken, and so the next day came…"

* * *

As per usual with Gotham's finest weather, it was still dark outside, and the dawn was still hidden behind the rain that spewed from almost black clouds rumbling and surging in the sky above.

An ominous menacing drumroll that mingled with the frantic footsteps of Jeanie as she paced up and down her home, preparing breakfast, whilst her husband sat on the side of his bed, chewing on his lip and sweating.

_What do I do? What do I do? If I accept I-I could go to jail and then Jeanie and Darla will be all alone with nothing! but if I don't then those thugs might kill all of us or worse!_

"Oh Jeanie! Darla I'm so sorry" Jack groaned softly into his hands.

"Daddy?"

Jack looked up and saw Darla tilting her head through his bedroom door, eyebrow quirked in a strangely mature look of confusion.

"Sorry Darling" He sighed heavily as he wiped at his face. "Daddy's just nervous. I've got a lot of things to do today and not a lot of time to do it all"

"Then why don't you stop some things and do the biggest things only" Darla blinked innocently and in spite of himself Jack chuckled.

"Come here sweetie"

He pulled her in to sit on his lap, her small legs dangling off his knees even as he straightened up.

"Listen Darla, I've got to tell you something important. Can you keep a secret?"

"Yep! I'm really good at keeping secrets" Darla preened herself off proudly much to her father's amusement.

"Okay good, now listen carefully. Daddy's managed to get a job for a day. Just one day"

"But I thought you were looking for a job to make people laugh for forever?" Darla frowned.

"Yes I am" Jack nodded, heavily swallowing down the lump in his throat "But until I get that dream job I might still have to do some other stuff in between. Now this job I have today well it's a very big job, but it's also very scary"

"how come?"

"Because I'm doing it with some really scary people. And these scary people are not so nice"

"Are they mean? Will they hurt you?" Darla gasped in worry and Jack sighed.

"Maybe, and that's why I need your help Darla. You see, if these mean people are not so nice to me, I need you to be a big girl and be there to help your mommy and your new baby brother or sister. You're strong and smart and that's why I know I can trust you to look after them, you will won't you?"

There was a pause in which Darla scanned her father's face with her dark eyes.

Jack almost bristled under that gaze. She was only six years old, and yet his little girl already the stare of a hawk, shrewd and calculating as if they could see straight through him and into his thoughts.

It was after a full minute of being caught in one of these stares that she finally gave him a nod.

"I will Daddy but-"

"But?" Jack prompted a little worriedly as he looked into those dark orbs, which suddenly became overbright.

"Only if you promise to-to come back"

"Oh Darling!" Jack almost wept with relief as he held his daughter close and kissed her hair. of "Are you kidding of course I will come back. No matter what happens I will always come back no matter what. Nothing could stop me"

* * *

"And indeed nothing could stop him, or so he thought, because you see, it was at such a perfect moment like this that life decided to give poor jack another wedgie"

Joker shook his head with a sigh as he looked up to the dim ceiling light of the dilapidated room.

"Poor poor Jack! One minute he was holding his daughter close for a cuddle before he left home, and then the next minute KABOOM! The kitchen next door blew up and then next moment he was holding the hand of his poor wife as she lay dead in the a hospital bed!"

Mina winced as his hands flew in the air, barely missing her nose as they swiped over her face. But Joker was too immersed in his story to even notice as he continued his voice deadly quiet.

"Oh how much the poor schmuck wept as he prayed to the heavens above for his wife and their unborn child not to be dead. He sobbed and sobbed and sobbed, until evening came…along with Urso Basso's thugs dragging with them his little girl"

There was no doubting the pure venom in the Clown Prince's tone now as his eyes misted over slightly, not noticing the slight wriggling from under his captive audience's straightjacket as she squirmed.

"Jack never knew how such a large group of armed thugs ever got into the hospital without raising the alarm, or how they'd found his house but what he did know was that his little girl would be lying in a hospital bed next to her mother if he didn't think fast. And so he thought of a plan, not a very well thought out one but a plan nonetheless. He would take Basso's deal and then all he needed to do was to break into the Chemical plant, ditch the bozos as soon as they were in and make a run for it with his little Darling straight outta Gotham in the first car to Metropolis."

"But Basso as it happened, was not as dumb as Jack thought, and put a gun to his Darling's head. _'Let's get one thing straight funny-man'_ the old bear said ' _you get my men into that plant and I'll give your little darling back to you safe and sound. If you don't well then…I guess she'll be eating lead for breakfast. Such a shame she's such a cute little thing'_ then he had his men shove a box into Jack's hands"

Joker stood up and began to pace around the gurney eyes suddenly very wistful.

"The box they gave him was big, and heavy too. Was it a gun? Jack wondered. He'd never held a gun before let alone used one. Was it supposed to be that heavy? And so carefully he opened the lid of the box. But what was inside was no gun. Oh no. Well…well all it really was, was a big red fishbowl and a matching cape, which was shoved onto his head as soon as he'd lifted into his hands. He tried to resist, but Basso's men assured him that it was all just part of the gig, and that if the night went smoothly. nobody else would know it was him under there. Not that Jack wanted anyone to know he was under such an abhorred contraption. Seriously he didn't, it smelt terrible like someone had sweated piss and- Darling? Darling! are you listening?"

"Y-YES!" Mina bleated, eyes flying open as he glowered at her, only to shut them tight as soon as his back was turned on her again.

_He's crazy. He's just absolutely, positively crazy! There's no way any of this is true._

The thought played over in her head like a broken record.

But Joker kept going ruthlessly, his white gloved hands pressing together thoughtfully as he continued.

"Well good. I wouldn't want you falling asleep on me just yet! We haven't even gotten to the really good stuff. So where was I? Ah yes the fishbowl on Jack's head. Well you see, once Jack was dressed for the job, his new ' _colleagues'_ for lack of a better word, shoved him and his little Darling into the car and drove them all the way up to the chemical plant, where, like they'd discussed he quickly and quietly snuck them inside…only to run into the one person they all had dreaded to see…"

Mina shuddered as the green eyes above her suddenly seemed to burn like acid as the stared straight into hers as her captor continued to speak, his usually excitable high pitched voice now unusually deep and grave.

" _Batman_ "

* * *

"Batman?" Jack breathed as the dark figure landed just a few meters in front of him.

He seemed humungous, with the dark muscles under all that armour, a strong jaw and billowing black cape. Jack couldn't blame the other muscled thugs beside him from backing away several paces and bleating.

"It's the Bat!"

"I thought he was a myth?"

"Myth, Shmith! Just shoot him!"

"NO WAIT!" Jack cried but too late, the thugs behind him had pulled out their guns and began shooting.

Without even pausing to think, Jack reeled away down another tall gangplank to his left, swaying as the heavy red helmet on his head weighed him down with every step.

But it wasn't enough to stop him from seeing through a haze of red, a big black figure suddenly strike out at his companions, who all began running with a loud yell.

"Fucking Shit!"

"WHAT THE FU-"

"JUST SHUT UP AND GET OUT OF HERE QUICK!"

"SHIT!"

"Hey wait! I'm still-" Jack began only to gulp as a pair of white lens eyes suddenly turned to face him from within a dark cowl.

"NO! No-no-no-no-no! Wait I'm not one of them! Please you've got to believe me I'm begging you!"

He could faintly hear a growling coming from the dark figure but it was muffled by both the metal over his head and his own terror as he yelped and squeaked.

"Please! Don't! I've got a wife and kids I gotta-no please DON'T HURT ME!"

He was so terrified that he didn't notice that he'd hit the low railing, or the green glow that illuminated his form from beneath, or that the weight of his helmet seemed to increase when he reeled further away.

Not until half his body was bent backwards.

"NO!" both he and the dark figure yelled as gravity took hold and his whole world began to tilt.

_This is it_

Jack thought as everything around him slowed down to a crawl.

_I'm done for! This is the end of me!_

But Jack did not see the phenomenon that was the bright light or the flashing of his past life before his eyes.

No…all he could see was the roof of a large chemical plant, and a glass observation tube high above him.

A glass tube through which he could see his little girl, staring with dark wide eyes, her mouth open in a scream of fear and grief.

"DADDY!"

_I'm sorry Darla…_

Jack sobbed as he felt his foot finally slide over the edge of the railing…

_I'm so sorry…_

…And fell into a mass of swirling bright green…

* * *

"And that dear girl…is the story about how our dear friend Jack vanished from the face of the Earth"

Tears streamed down Mina's face as Joker turned back to face her the gleam in his eyes brighter then ever as he took in her face.

"You're lying" she breathed after a full minute.

"What did you say?" Joker's voice was a deadly hiss as he stalked over to where she lay.

"You…you're lying" Mina blubbered, new tears streaming down her face "This…this is all a big delusion…you…you c-can't possibly believe any of this is true"

She could see the white gloved hands clench tight around the knife in his grip, a knife that was being fingered delicately as it hovered close to her side.

"I assure you my Darling it is. And how do I know that?" He leant in close, his hot breath fanning her face "Because I made a promise to my little girl a promise that no matter what happened I would always come back no matter what…and today I kept it"

"You're insane" she whispered, only to shiver in horror as he chuckled.

"What can I say…it runs in the family, and you, you my dear, are truly a chip of the old block…my Darling...my _Darla._ Hmeheheheheheheehehehehe! Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!"

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that is where i leave you for today. To be on the safe side, yes, yes i took A LOT of inspiration from The Killing Joke (both the comic and the new movie) but come on! it's like the best Joker Origin story ever! (and probably my absolute favorite comic from the Batman universe ever!).
> 
> Anyways i hope you liked, hope no characters were too OOC, and hoped that you guys will continue to review for more :)
> 
> Till next time guys ;)


	18. If I Only Had a Brain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.”   
> ― Mark Twain

**Chapter 17: If I Only Had a Brain**

There was silence as Mina curled on her side on her gurney.

She was completely alone; nobody was watching her.

Not that she would notice as she was too concentrated on slipping out from the old worn straitjacket.

One of the buckles was faulty, the length of stiff fabric it used to tighten all worn and stretched. If she could just-

"Yes" she hissed softly as the strap loosened considerably and she slipped her good hand out from the hem of the contraption.

_Now to get the rest of it off one handed. Oh well…at least I still have use of my dominant hand._

She sighed in relief as she sat up, her free hand quickly tugging hard at the other rather tight straps. It was a hard slog but eventually she had managed to loosen the closest strap and gingerly slip the rough material up to bunch up around her shoulders.

_Right now what?_

She gritted her teeth, swallowing down the pain in her shoulder as she tugged herself free and swung herself up to sit.

She winced as her swollen ankle throbbed but otherwise ignored the pain that shot from it as she hobbled over to the door and pressed an ear to the wood just in time to hear a man yawn loudly.

"MMMNN! So what's the deal with the boss? Why d'ya think he needs the girl? Ya think he wants to replace Harley or something'?"

"Dunno" another man snorted his bones creaking as he stretched himself out "but I'll say this for the kid, she's weird, even by the boss's standards. Why he needs her god knows but whatever he wants her for is gonna be big 'cause even the Bat's pretty antsy"

_Antsy…that's putting it mildly_

Mina rolled her eyes as she hobbled away from the door eyes darting over the half broken furniture that surrounded her.

None of it she was strong enough to lift, and she could barely push anything with only one good arm and leg at her disposal. The air vent up top was too high to reach and there was no trapdoor, in short she was truly trapped.

She leant against the wall opposite the only door to her prison (for what else could she really call it) her good hand slamming against it with a hollow thud-

She stiffened where she leant eyes blinking as her brain registered her thoughts fully.

_Hollow…_

She looked down to the floor and frowned as she saw a strange pattern in the dusty surface. It looked as if something heavy had slid over the surface in a curve.

_Could've been the desk when I moved it_

But even as she followed the smooth track marks, her eyes went back to the bottom of the wall. And there it was, nearly imperceptible but just there. A small crack.

_A hidden door?_

Her heart hammered in her chest as she trailed her good hand up over the crack right until she found a small groove.

With a small tug, she felt the piece of wall grind forwards just as she heard a loud crackle of static.

"Yes boss" one of the gruff guards outside grunted loudly. "Right, of course right away. Come on, you 'eard him get the kid"

Mina's dark eyes burned with heat as an idea began to burn in her head.

It was a risky move, she knew, but did she really have a choice.

Quietly she hobbled back to stand behind the door just as she heard the jingle of keys and the click of a lock.

"Hey where's the kid? The two clown masked men frowned as they stepped into the room…

"What the-"

"Hey-"

_BANG-BANG!_

* * *

_Beep_

"I'm here Oracle"

"Batman urgent news from Tim-"

"Mina Poole's not in Gotham City?" Batman growled over the top of the female voice that spluttered on her end of the com link.

"How did you-"

"Joker. He just revealed her location over the Asylum loudspeakers. From the sounds of it he's got her right with him, though how he managed that with Jones by her side-"

"I think I might have an answer for that" the woman, Oracle (aka Barbara Gordon) muttered darkly into the com link.

"The car the police gave to Jones and Mina, it was involved in an accident less than six hours ago"

"Six hours ago?" Batman's eyes widened under the cowl.

"Yeah right when you and Tim were following a lead on Joker's threat to the Mayor" Oracle snorted "It wasn't reported because it was in an empty street and no one came to the scene until an hour afterwards. It was difficult but Tim and I pulled up footage from the traffic cameras to see what caused the crash. From the looks of it they were deliberately rammed from the side by a white truck, registered to a _George Pentabrook_."

"George "Buddy" Pentabrook?" Batman frowned "he's one of Two-Faces henchmen who escaped with him two months ago."

"Yeah and according to the footage he and an accomplice both took Poole from the wreckage and took her with them, leaving Jones in the car."

"So…Two-Face has his men kidnap Mina Poole…but why? She has no prior connection to him…and how would Joker get his hands on her from Two-Face?" the Dark Knight muttered.

"Perhaps he's just curious about her like the other rogues. Joker has expressed an interest in her, maybe Two-Face was holding her to ransom to get something off him-" Oracle suggested but Batman shook his head.

"Maybe" his eyes widened as realization dawned on him. "Or maybe not"

"Bruce?"

"Joker's not one to let people play him for a fool. Especially not the other rogues" Batman explained in a gruff hiss "If the situation at Arkham is any indication, Joker must have been planning everything happening tonight for months. He must have struck a deal with Two-Face to get Mina Poole away from Jones and the police and bring her to Arkham whilst he distracted Tim and I with the Mayor."

"Okay whilst that all makes sense I just have to ask why?" Oracle sighed on her end "I mean I get it, it's Joker we're talking about and he's done some pretty wacked out crap for the hell of it. but all this with that Poole girl…this is more than just being dedicated"

"Its obsession" Batman agreed "And what's worse is that it seems to have stemmed from a source far older than what we thought"

"What do you mean?" Now Oracle sounded very worried. Batman could practically hear the gulp of suspense on her end of the line even as he opened his mouth, his fingers tapping at the holographic keyboard that had appeared on his gauntlet.

"I've just found Riddler's most recent patient interview. I'm sending the transcript to you now. Look for the bottom few lines."

"Right…" Oracle hummed, and the dark knight heard a small fast succession of tapping in the background as she continued to mumble "right…he's being typically cryptic like an annoying shit- his Doctor Young sounds pissed oh wait here I think I found it."

"Read it out loud"

"Right he says ' _Riddle me this. What's dangerous, aggressive and deadly to Miss Poole? I'll tell you who, it's Joker of course!'_ Sorry Bruce still not sure-"

"Write the three words out acrostically" Batman ordered stiffly.

A small smattering of typing, a pause and then something spluttered, something liquid spraying in a blast like a fire hydrant.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!"

* * *

"WHAT THE FUCK? WHERE THE HELL'S THE KID?!" the blonde head of Harley Quinn shrieked like a banshee

Ghost stopped in his spot in the air vents, his eyes narrowing under his helmet down at the scene he could see beneath him through the grate.

"She-she must have ambushed them and gone out the door" one of her men quivered and shook, ignoring the significant looks from his fellows that were trying to mime a "shut up idiot and stop talking" action as silently as they could behind the Clown Princess's back

But their hopes of being spared were slashed when Quinn let loose a howl of frustration and shot the speaker right between the eyes.

_Still throws a tantrum like a child_

Ghost shook his head as he watched the rogue bark out orders before marching out the door of the room, all the henchmen following her sheepishly out the door, which shut with a snap.

With a quick smooth push, Ghost dislodged the small grate and jumped down into the room.

The sight of it made his blood boil, not just because of the three corpses that lay on the floor.

_Nothing's changed at all…_

His fists clenched as he beheld the wooden chair that lay strewn on its side on the floor, a blackened "J" burnt into its back.

He stepped back only for his feet to step on cloth.

Looking down he saw something white with lots of straps.

_A straightjacket_

He frowned as he looked the contraption over. Several of the straps were loose and uneven, one even had a pale string sticking out from the buckle.

Or was it string?

_Hair…_

He frowned as he brought the sleek little strand up to eye level.

"Mina" he breathed as he took note of the pale white blonde sheen.

He quickly looked about himself, one hand flying to the side of his red helmet, tapping it till one of his displays began to show red scans of his surroundings.

_Come on woman…show me where you went_

He scowled, only to blink as a mass of white appeared in the corner of his helmet's vision amidst all the bootprints.

_…_ _she was barefooted…_

He reasoned as he crouched to examine the marks, one of which was only partially there and slightly smeared.

_A limp_

He frowned to himself as his gaze followed a pair of similar tracks around the room.

_Her foot's been hurt…but not enough to stop her moving around the room._

His frown deepening, he quietly retuned the scanner in his helmet, eyes narrowing as a simulation played back over his vision.

_She was in the room, on the gurney in the corner with a straight-jacket on. She got the straight-jacket off and went to the door then moved away to the wall. Why?_

"Just what were you planning" he wondered aloud to himself as he quietly followed her footsteps towards the wall opposite the door.

_She stopped here for a while, handprint analysis on the wall shows she tugged here at something but what?_

But even as his eyes followed the trail he caught sight of a miniscule crack in the wall.

_Well this is new…_

Ghost smirked as the hidden door swung forwards ever so slightly and then back to the men on the floor.

The two at the bottom of the small pile looked like their pockets had been turned out. One of them was even missing a gun from a holster at his hip.

_So…she freed herself from the straight-jacket, found the secret exit then hid behind the door. These two idiots came in, she got the jump on them-no wait she was injured and she's too small, she wouldn't have been able to take both of them down. She must have hidden behind the door and pickpocketed the gun off one of them, then fired them before they could get to her. Yes…that fits the blood-splatter pattern. Bodies are still not stiff yet, they've only just been killed, so she must've only just gotten away less than half an hour before Harley came along._

"Not bad woman, not bad at all" Ghost smirked as he heaved the piece of wall out and slid behind it.

Mina gasped as she crawled through the gap in the wall.

She had just reached the end of the tunnel. It had been a long struggle, especially with her bunged up arm and foot, but she had made it through alive.

_Gotta get off this island…_

She puffed as with a hard push she slid the door (which was hidden behind a bookcase) shut behind her and slid to the floor, leaning against it.

She'd never felt so tired in her life, not even after her run in with Poison Ivy.

She wondered vaguely what was happening to the female Rogue and her other compatriots of crime. Were they still locked away?

Joker had said that he would be giving Batman a treat at this party of his…perhaps a mass breakout was his plan all along.

_Yeah…that sounds like something he would do…_

But even as she thought this she shook her head.

No…but that didn't make sense. In the past couple of hours Joker now had control over the whole island. He could've easily freed all inmates from their cells when he escaped custody and they would've most likely completely overrun the entire police force that was undoubtedly surrounding the island and escaped to the mainland.

_So what are his plans?_

She coughed, covering her mouth and nose as they both inhaled something sickeningly sweet.

* * *

"What the-ugh…"

Blackness covered her eyes just as a soft high voice cackled all around her.

He was at the beginning of a narrow corridor, dark and full of cobwebs and dust.

The floor beneath his boots was hard and made of stone. Not the stone tiles of the room behind him but actual natural rock.

_Must be under the foundations of Arkham_

Ghost frowned as his helmet scanned the roof above where sure enough scaffolding was visible amidst a sea of white spider-webs.

With careful steps he slowly and quietly made his way down into the darkness, following the white masses of slender footsteps that his scanner picked up.

_For someone with a bad leg she's moving fast…hmm what's this?_

He frowned as his scanner picked up traces of something liquid on the floor.

He froze as he realized what that liquid something was showing up as blood in his helmet's scanners.

_She's bleeding…Damn. Just what is she thinking going down here?_

"You better be alive when I find you woman" he growled as he continued to stride forwards-

_SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS_

Ghost stopped in his tracks and looked around for the source of the hissing that had just started above his head.

Just as he did so, something that looked like mist or fog streamed in front of his vision briefly obscuring his scanners which at once began to flash warnings in amber red before his eyes.

Despite all his training, his heart sank like a stone as he read them.

"Shit…"

"Wake up Miss Poole"

Mina groaned, her vision blurred as she stirred from the darkness, only to wince as a bright light glared down on her from high above just as a familiar high pitched voice hissed.

"Wake up. I do believe it's time for your check-up"

"What…" Mina rasped as she raised her head.

Once again she was strapped to a table, though this one she recognized to be the slab the Arkham staff often used for electroshock therapy. Now that she thought about it this looked just like the electroshock room up in the-

She jolted in shock as a tall lanky figure suddenly appeared on the edge of her vision.

"Crane?"

And there he was, in all his glory. His gaunt form half-dressed in the pants of the Arkham jumpsuit, whilst the rest of the material was wrapped like a headscarf around a burlap mask fitted with two large gas filters and goggles.

She had to admit, she now understood why people were frightened of Jonathan Crane or rather-

"Not Crane…Only **Scarecrow** ** _"_**

The hiss in her ear made her feel like millions of tiny cockroaches were crawling all over her skin. But worse was the feel of something slender and metallic caressing the side of her neck.

_That glove of his…how did he get it back?_

Mina shivered, almost missing the ex-psychiatrists next words.

"Hello my dear. It's good to see you again. I was wondering if I should call Joker to make sure you remembered to come to our session. Now I see that wasn't necessary"

"Well I've come this far haven't I _Doc_?" she spat trying and failing not to shudder as Scarecrow tutted above her head, the sound oddly metallic through his breathing mask.

"Hmm…now that won't do at all Miss Poole. You of all people should know that denial of your fears is merely nothing more than a cry for help to release yourself from the burden you carry."

"And what burden would that be pray tell?" she hissed, real anger slipping in.

Damn, Crane was getting under her skin. If there was one thing he knew peeved her off it was other people psychoanalysing her and picking her apart like carrion.

She could tell Scarecrow desperately wanted to inject her with his toxin but was forced to hold himself back as the television screen and the intercom system in the corner of the room both flashed into life.

"Oh Scarecrow!" a high nasally sing song voice called. "Yoohoo! Doctor are you in? I tried calling your secretary but she seems far too busy screaming her head off outside, so I thought I'd call you on a more direct line"

And even as the Joker said this, Mina heard a woman's high pitched shriek of terror from just outside the door.

"Get them off me! They're everywhere! Please I'm begging you! SOMEONE?! ANYONE?! PLEEAAAASE! GET THEM OFF MEEEEE! AHHHHHHHHHH!"

"An arachnophobe, hardly worth my time" Scarecrow shrugged nonchalantly but this time Mina was sure Crane was beginning to take over the body again for when he addressed Joker it was with a calm, cold, clinical tone.

"Can I help you with something Joker. As you can see I'm in the middle of a very important examination."

"Yes about that Scarecrow, or is it Crane now? I can't tell with that mask of yours. Bah whatever, you're here now and that's what counts." Joker waved Crane off, promptly cutting off the ex- psychiatrist's small cough of indignation "Anyways about your little tests…I was wondering-well I don't want to be rude and tell you how to do your job, but could you perhaps…I don't know give them up and hand me back my little Darling right now. I'm afraid I must dish out a little discipline for disobeying me and leaving her room past curfew before she can come out and play."

"Ah such a pity. I was so hoping I could be of assistance by collecting her keeping her secure and safe while you deal with the Bat." Crane sneered back to

"Aww, well ain't you just a good Samaritan. Did you hear that Darling," Joker's green eyes turned on Mina who's mouth was clamped shut and her dark eyes wide with terror.

"The nice doctor just offered to babysit you for me, isn't that nice?"

But Mina just kept silent.

"I said isn't that NICE?" Joker barked.

Mina still refused to speak, her lip bleeding from the force of her teeth as she bit down hard on it.

"Tut-tut. Rule breaking and bad manners whatever am I going to do with you Darling? Doc, any clue?"

"I can think of a few options" Crane hissed raising his syringe fingered glove up to her neck and-

"So this is it" Mina murmured softly as the tiniest of lightbulbs fired up in her brain.

Crane paused the first syringe just millimetres away from piercing her skin.

"This is what?" He hissed quietly and Mina smirked.

"You. The great Doctor Crane, the great Scarecrow. One of the world's best Psychiatrists, creator of the deadliest fear toxin ever known to exist, one of Batman's most feared Rogues…and here you are in a dingy old asylum playing the role of Joker's little _bitch_ "

"Be quiet girl" Crane or rather Scarecrow snarled, but Mina could hear the slight waver in his tones as she ploughed on ruthlessly.

"So what's next after you inject me hmm? You grovel at Joker's feet till he lets you suck his dick or kiss his ass? Do you dance for him when he says _Dance-Monkey-Dance_? Sing with Quinn like a pair of canaries? Tell me please, because the suspense is practically killing me"

"Why you little-" Scarecrow was now so furious he could barely get the words out of his mouth.

"You Rogues think yourself SOOO great and powerful but you're practically pathetic! You let a clown in a stupid costume practically boss you around just for kicks and you melt like pussies for his every whim. The real Doctor Crane I got to know, the man who lectured me on Adlerian psychology in our first session. He was commanding, in control and answered to no one. HE wouldn't just go around injecting people because some _freak_ told him to. NO! He'd dissect the freak's head piece by piece with more precision than a laser. And YES you can get inside Joker's head! I should know"

The yell that had started in Crane's throat died in an instant.

Joker's face had gone cold and stony.

"Darling" he clipped, his tones a low and threatening growl. "Enough"

But Crane's anger had now abated and was replaced instead by insatiable curiosity and he leaned in close to whisper.

"How?"

Mina's lip curled.

"Because I have been in his head since the beginning. IN every thought, every action, every word. Everything he has done over the years, Halloween, Christmas Eve…he did for me and you want to know why?"

"Why?" Crane breathed ignoring Joker's cry of "NO!" as Mina whispered softly, feather light.

"Come closer"

She couldn't see Crane's face, but she heard the rapid intake of shallow excited breath. She could also hear the silence on Joker's end of the communications link as his green eyes widened in shock.

Then she struck.

For all his attention to detail in his observations, Crane had been far too overconfident in his abilities to evoke fear.

So instead of strapping her tightly to the slab he'd laid her against, he'd given her just enough room to wriggle one foot free to hit at him hard in the gaunt stomach, whilst her good hand tugged her restraints off her.

With renewed vigour and a roar of anger and ferocity her kick managed to send the rogue flying backwards in surprise, much to the amusement of Joker.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Bravo, Darling! Bravo! HIHIHI!" the Clown prince of crime cackled as he clapped with glee "Turning dear old Scarecrow against me by bruising his ego in the most sadistic way possible?! Such a brilliant adaptation of the old double-cross classic! I love it! Wait Darling where are you going?"

Joker blinked but Mina didn't pay him any attention.

Scarecrow was scrambling to his feet and she had just jumped over to the electroshock charging station.

"You little brat. After all I've done for you" Crane hissed as he launched himself at Mina, much to Joker's growing amusement.

"Ohohoho! Now this should be interesting. I'd watch yourself Johnny-boy, my darlin's a real scrapper when she wants to be"

And indeed, Mina didn't disappoint.

With a quick jab, she lashed hard at Crane with a wooden rod. It was old and bore many teeth marks from where various patients had bitten into it in pain.

Crane winced for a moment but was quick to dispatch the makeshift weapon by sticking his syringe glove into it and throwing it aside.

Then Mina went for a scalpel that was on his table of instruments.

The first swipe hit thin air, but the second one slashed over the gaunt chest, creating a shallow but painful cut above Crane's sternum.

"You missed" Crane hissed mockingly "What's the matter little girl? Afraid to kill me?"

"What do you think?" Mina smirked, dark eyes glinting with malicious pleasure as she watched the small tendril of blood dribble down the almost skeletal figure of her opponent.

She could hear the smirk in Crane's voice as he snarled.

"And people call me the psychopath"

He lunged forwards again this time raising what looked to be a knife in his hands

WHAM!

The door to the room was flung open and something dark and heavy thudded hard into the side of the rogues' face, sending him flying backwards into the wall hard.

At the same moment, a canister that had been by his side was flipped, the half open top cap of it smashing open, letting plumes of orange smog billow out into the room.

An orange plume that smelt distinctly of pumpkins and chemicals.

Mina froze.

She knew that smell.

She'd spent days in a lab smelling it as she experimented on the toxin that was its origin. So many days in fact that she was completely put off by the smell of pumpkins even outside at the supermarket.

It was a scent she would never forget.

The scent of pure fear…

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Hey guys.
> 
> long time no see. So yeah that's chapter 17 up.
> 
> So the whole party at Arkham is going on, and Mina's survival skills are being put to the test. Ghost is being led on a wild chase and Batman is only just figuring shit out. but this party is far from over, oh no.
> 
> in fact it's only just beginning and Crane is just the appetizer.
> 
> MUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
> 
> Oh and quick question to you all? Which Rogue would you guys like to see Mina meet next?
> 
> I've got a few ideas for each of them but cannot decide on which one to do first?
> 
> anyways review if you enjoyed reading and i'll see you next time
> 
> FuzzyBeta Out!


	19. Hats off To You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity.”   
> ― Edgar Allan Poe

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops! i can't believe i forgot to update this chapter. I've had it up for ages on Fanfiction.net but forgot to post it up here. hehe, Whoops!  
> XD
> 
> Anyways i hope you enjoy and if you did please review for more.

**Chapter 18: Hats off to You**

Mina held her breath as the stench of the Fear Gas all but filled her nose.

Already she could feel her heart hammering as her vision began to swim. She could just make out a dark figure writhing as it tried to steady itself.

It was huge and hulking and seemed to have glowing red eyes.

It took Mina all she had not to throw up then and there as what felt to be a clawed hand reached out to grab her by the scruff.

"It looks like our session is going to have to wait my dear. Take her away!" a warbling, distorted yet distinctly raspy voice snapped.

Then the clawed hand was replaced by a rough hard grip.

"Come on brat!" a deep man's voice growled harshly.

Mina struggled. To her ears the man sounded like a roaring dog.

"No! NO!" she shrieked as what appeared to be a man with a wolf's head snarled down at her as she was dragged out the door.

The wolf man or whoever he was, howled with victory as soon as the door was shut, the sound horribly mingling with the shrieking and screaming of several other people around her.

Mina gaped horrified.

Many Arkham inmates were running about the ominously tilting halls, their faces grotesque, almost skull like as they shrieked their heads off.

One figure was cringing on the floor in a corner, clawing at his own face so that it seemed he was gouging out the flesh in it.

Another inmate was banging into a wall repeatedly, bawling his eyes out as he writhed and squirmed against his straight-jacket. Tears, saliva and blood dribbled down his roaring chin, which cracked sickeningly as he rammed himself against a wall again.

"AHHHHAHAHAHGHAAAA!"

The yell brought Mina out of her stupor as a gargoyle like figure in bright orange started rushing towards her and her captor…something silvery and sharp held up high in his hands.

World still spinning, Mina ducked out of the way, shoving the wolfman into the path of the blade, which their attacker proceeded to bury straight into his eye.

"That's it! That's it! DIE! DIE YOU FILTHY MAGGOT DIE!" the crazed man yelled as he continued to thrust his knife into the now very dead man's corpse.

Blood was flying, the sounds of horrible squelching flesh and cracking of bone filled the air.

Mina ran, stumbling over her bad leg as she reached the door. At the sound of her fall, the madman with the knife turned sharply, and his mouth split into a horrible bloody smile filled with pointed teeth.

"YESSS" the thing hissed as it advanced towards her, and as it got closer, its body seemed to turn more gaunt, more monstrously tall-

Until something buried itself deep into his throat.

"ARGH!" Mina bellowed as she withdrew the scalpel from her victim, who fell to the floor with a deafening thump.

She'd almost forgotten she'd had it in her terror, but now she was all too aware of the feel of the now warm blood soaked metal in her uninjured hand.

The other fear-infected inmates shrieked in horror and began rushing away from her bloodstained hobbling form.

A small part of her laughed to herself as she wondered vaguely how she must look, hunched over, limping with one hand drawn up.

_I must look like an Igor or something?_

She felt her lips curl into as she reached up to wipe her hand over her mouth.

But instead of wiping away the blood, she merely smeared most of it over her lips, staining her lower half of her face with a big lopsided red smile.

"That's right" she snarled at the retreating figures "RUN FROM ME LIKE THE LITTLE FUCKERS YOU ARE! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

The laughter that slipped from her mouth was an inhuman cackle. One very familiar to her and yet not.

It wasn't laughter of humour, or of fun, it was just laughter. Strong uncontrollable laughter.

She tried to stop but couldn't, and soon she was doubled over cackling. Her stomach began to throb such was the pain of it.

She glanced upwards, still chuckling and her eyes widened in horror as she saw a green vapour issuing from the vents above.

_Laughing gas?!_

She giggled as she fell to her knees, her injured foot finally giving way beneath her.

But still she kept laughing…and laughing…and laughing….

She could vaguely feel a small pair of hands grab her roughly as the swirling floor suddenly moved away.

"Come now Alice. Enough's enough of that. Come before we're found by March Hare and the Bat" A voice hissed in her ear as she was dragged through the doors behind her, her vision turning all to black.

* * *

"SHIT!" Ghost snarled as his helmet's scanners picked up on the live video feed Joker was transmitting.

All that fear gas, all those inmates running rampant, it was going to be much harder to find that woman than he first thought.

He wasn't sure he was glad to be wearing his helmet as he watched the footage.

The red insides only made the already gruesome sights even more disturbing.

_Crap this is worse than I thought._

His heart hammered as he finally found the right camera to tap into.

Through it he could see Mina, slicing at an inmates throat before succumbing to fits of terrible laughter.

He felt his insides turn to ice.

That laugh…it sounded just like…

_No-no she's nothing like him._

Ghost told himself firmly as he finally slid out of his hiding spot in the secret corridor, only to come out into a white sterile asylum one, where a large inmate was currently slumped, unconscious.

He looked down at his combat gear, which stood out starkly from the space around him, and then back to the inmate.

"You better thank me for this woman" he muttered.

* * *

"Can you hear me? Bruce? What's going on?"

"Oracle…I'm okay" Batman sighed in relief as his vision began to clear. He was still in the morgue, the slabs were clear and the air was still cold.

"What happened I lost contact. Are you sure you're alright? Have you found my dad?" Oracle sounded worried in his ears.

"I'm fine. Had a little run in with Scarecrow. Slowed me down I'll get back to you in a bit." He clicked his comm off and looked around

Scarecrow was gone…and so was Mina Poole.

He could vaguely remember hearing the rogue telling a henchman to take her away during his hallucinations.

_However long I was out, it seems to have been enough to get her away from me._

Batman frowned as he switched on his detective vision to examine some blood on the floor.

It was quickly matched to Mina Poole, but from the way it was smeared he could tell her condition was far from good.

_Her foot's injured…she'd only be able to hobble at best._

He surmised as he followed the trail out the door.

He inhaled sharply as he caught sight of several corpses littering the corridor. Most of them were inmates in their orange jumpsuits. One of them was an Arkham guard. It was he who had his eye gouged out and several horrific stab wounds all over his body and face.

Had Batman not seen so many horrendous deaths already he might've been sick. Even now it took all his willpower to stop himself gagging slightly as he examined the bloody soaked corpse.

"It wasn't Gordon…Crane's gas must've affected me more than I thought…" he muttered to himself, only to stiffen as he heard the lock on a nearby door suddenly creak.

It seemed looking for Mina Poole would have to wait…again.

* * *

When Mina came to herself, she was literally by herself…in the staff coffee room of the Arkham Mansion.

It was a small room, with a tiny kitchenette and just enough space for a small circular dining table, and four small chairs. In the corner of the room was a large television screen.

Mina had been in here many times before on break. Not many people came in here, mainly preferring the Mansion's larger tea-room upstairs as it was larger, had more comfortable furniture and a better coffee machine.

She sat up from her place on the dull carpeted floor, rubbing her throbbing head.

_God…how did I end up here?_

She grumbled as she leant down to nurse her ankle. It was now so swollen it looked like a red balloon.

"Shit!" she whispered, her limb twinging painfully as she tried rotating it.

She knew from her limited medical knowledge that she could walk on it, or at the very least hobble. But running was out of the question. She could crawl fast, she supposed but then she remembered that one of her arms was still in its slings.

"I'm not going to die here" she whispered to herself as she shakily stumbled to her feet. "I am NOT going to die here-uh" she stumbled again, this time managing to grab the small table, just as the door to the tea-room opened.

A small hunching figure hobbled in. he was wearing an Arkham jumpsuit but with a large top hat over his grimy mousy face.

"AH Alice! You're awake!" Jervis Tetch, aka, the Mad Hatter, smiled warmly as he tottered towards her, quickly catching her before she could back away.

"Oh-no-no-no-no-no my dear. You must sit and rest. It won't do to have you at the tea party if you aren't at your best" The Hatter tutted as he helped the injured woman into a chair.

Normally Mina would've thrown him off in disgust by now, but her throbbing ankle and head were too much and so she let him settle her at the table. Despite being certifiably insane, she knew Tetch wouldn't hurt her… as long as she kept up the polite nice-sweet-Alice act.

"Sorry" she mumbled, doing everything in her power not to curse and strike out at the madman as she heard him locking the door."I was just trying to put on some tea"

 _I should get an Oscar for this_.

"Tea? You want tea now Alice?" Tetch frowned quirking a brow as he checked the clock on the wall "But it isn't tea time yet and the party has not started-"

"I-I know…" Mina sighed as she leaned into the wonderfully cool table top "It's just...after everything that's happened tonight…with Joker and Crane-"

She groaned mentally, relieved when Tetch's eyes suddenly lit up.

"OH my poor Alice, my poor-poor dear. Of course, of course, you shall have some tea. Something nice and strong to calm the nerves, why camomile always does the trick for me"

_God will you stop that rhyming?_

She thought but instead said:

"Yes, camomile would be lovely, thank you Hatter"

There was silence as the Mad Hatter bustled off to prepare the tea.

Mina didn't speak, instead collecting her still slightly scrambled thoughts.

She could remember Scarecrow/Crane. She could remember goading him and slicing him as Joker watched and cackled.

Then everything was hazy. Batman was there, she was sure of it, and yet she couldn't even remember seeing him.

The only thing she could remember were the grotesque corpses and flailing bodies of the other Arkham inmates exposed to the gas.

The gas…she frowned as she remembered the sight of the green gas from the vents.

_Joker must've sprayed some of his 'Happy' gas into the room._

God, Happy gas and fear gas. Both substances on their own were positively horrific. Putting htem together was not just lethal but terrifying to behold.

And yet…she survived them both…

But how?

She knew she had a little bit of immunity to Scarecrow's fear toxin from all the experimenting she and Doctor Keller did on it. And yes she had survived the Happy gas all those years ago at Black Mask's club…

But even then she'd never understood how that was possible.

_It could be genetic_

She wondered quietly.

_It is possible that I am genetically predisposed to being more immune to certain toxins…though how that could be possible unless…unless…_

She gulped, an icy chill sweeping through her as she thought:

_Unless what Joker said was true…about himself…about me…_

But no…it couldn't be true.

She couldn't be Joker's daughter.

The Joker was a madman and a pathological liar. Most of the stories he told the doctors here at Arkham had almost always been proven to be falsehoods.

Why should this story be any different?

There was no way she was Joker's daughter, there just wasn't any proof. No DNA test, no photograph even. Only the Joker's word.

And in Gotham the Joker's word counted for jackshit.

"Thank you" she mumbled politely as Jervis offered her a cup of tea.

She winced as she took a sip from it. It was almost sickeningly sweet.

"Now-now don't give me that face. Sugar is good for the shock dear Alice" Tetch tutted as he tottered back to the kettle and poured himself a cup.

_Too bad I hate sugar._

Mina fixed a polite smile as she forced herself to drink the rest of the cup slowly. God she really should get a damn award for this. Even by her usual standards of bullshitting, she was sorely pushing her limits.

Nonetheless, the warm liquid was to some degree soothing to her dry throat and empty belly, as were the small hard biscuits the Hatter placed in a small plate before her.

After not eating anything for god knows how long, the taste of the pathetic store bought pieces of shit was phenomenal, and it took all she had not to just scoff half of them down her throat like an animal.

"Careful now Alice, not so fast. If you keep going the treats aren't going to last" Tetch's smile tightened a little as he slid the now half-finished plate of biscuits just out of her reach.

Mina was about to snap at him, but quickly held her tongue as she caught sight of the small gleam in the Hatter's eyes.

"Forgive me Hatter" she sweetened her smile, though her eyes remained cold as ever. "I am just so hungry. It has been a long time since I last ate"

"Ah yes. Cheshire and March Hare have not been to gentle with you from what I hear" Tetch nodded in understanding, but she could see his burning anger in his eyes.

Mina held back a shiver. That obsessiveness was just as bad as Jokers…if not probably worse at the moment.

_I need to get out of here_

But how could she get away from Hatter with a bad foot and broken arm?

_I bide my time… I bide my time and strike when the iron is hot…or the kettle is…_

She glanced at an ornate tea pot which was now resting half full on the stove of the kitchenette. Small tendrils of steam were issuing out of it as it cooled down.

"So…Hatter. What have you been up to since Joker's party started" she leaned back in the cold chair, sipping at her tea.

Tetch blinked at her in surprise, but quickly recovered with an excitable smile.

"Me my dear. Why I've been preparing our Tea Party of course. I've been out and about looking for the perfect materials to decorate this poor dreary room."

_If I had a gun I could decorate the walls with your brain matter if I so wished._

Mina spat maliciously in her head as she said.

"And what about the other guests?"

"Other guests?" Tetch started and Mina nodded.

"Why yes other guests. It wouldn't be much of a tea party unless we had everyone here to join the fun."

Tetch's frown turned from puzzlement…to frenzied delight.

"Why Alice what a splendid idea! A large tea party with lots of guests and lots of tea, and-and oh my hats. I must get my hats-"

"Of course. Hat's for everyone" Mina fake-smiled widely, guzzling down the last of her tea.

"Hmm…it's all gone" she mumbled, being careful to control the softness of her voice. Timing was so crucial now…

"Oh would you like some more tea Alice?" Tetch perked up excitedly.

"Yes please." Mina smirked as he quickly stood up and bustled back to the teapot.

He was quick to bring it over, his face alight with a disturbingly manic pleasure as he made to pour into Mina's cup.

"Thank you Hatter" Mina's smile widened as she watched the cup fill up slowly…carefully…

_Any second now…_

"The pleasure is all mine my dear" Hatter simpered not noticing the tensing of her fingers on her teacup handle. "Shall I leave the pot her-AHHHHHH!"

He recoiled backwards as searing hot tea suddenly splashed into his face.

"Alice-what-ALICE!" he squealed like a pig as Mina snatched the hot teapot from his hands and brought it smashing over his head.

There was a sickening crunch as porcelain hit flesh and the rogue fell to the floor, but Mina didn't care.

"Come on you little shit" she muttered darkly as she rifled through his pockets.

She was quick to find the tea-room's keys along with several others on a ring. She recognized most of them to belong to the various supply closets and staff rooms littered about the facility.

Quickly pocketing them, she turned her attention to the drawers under the kitchen sink. There was a small serrated bread knife, but that would require her being close to her target to stab him. Still she pocketed it any way, along with a long metal frying pan. It was slightly heavy in hand but would serve its purpose. And then she rifled through the rest of the drawers, snatching up some duck tape and some detergent spray.

There was a small moan behind her and she looked down to see Tetch starting to stir.

Quickly and as quietly as she could, she hobbled out the door, only just locking it behind her as the Mad Hatter began to shriek-

"ALICE! ALICE NO COME BACK HERE ALICE!"

"Like hell I will" Mina snarled as she began duck-taping the edges of the shaking door.

She smirked as she amused herself with the thought of the pathetic little rogue running out of oxygen in that tiny room.

_Gotta find a way out of here…_

She limped away from the wall, vaguely noticing the large screen at the far end of the corridor suddenly flicker into life.

"Oh Darling! Darling, yooohoo!" Joker's wide smile flashed over the screen.'

Mina quickly plastered herself against the wall but it was no use. His green eyes widened as he caught sight of her.

"Ah, there you are! I've been looking everywhere for you! I'm so glad to see you happy and smiling"

Mina was about to talk back when she caught sight of her reflection in the glass of a nearby cabinet.

She looked an absolute wreak.

Her white blonde hair was stringy and damp, matted with grime and some dark patches of red, just like her now very filthy orange jumpsuit. Her skin was deathly pale and sickly, and her dark eyes had even darker rings around them and her mouth…

She cringed at the sight of the blood smeared over it in a wide smile.

Now she could understand why the other rogues seemed to recognize her.

With the pale skin and the red smile, her slender pointed features looked even sharper than ever. All she needed was for her hair and eyes to turn green…

"Darling! Oh darling!" Joker's voice snapped her out of her daze.

She turned slowly, dark eyes set in a menacing glare as she met his gaze in the screen.

"You…" she growled raising the frying pan in her hand and throwing it at the screen with a roar "YOU DID THIS TO ME! YOU! YOU MISERABLE FUCKING-"

"Ah-ah-ah. Language my dear" Joker waggled a finger but she could see he wasn't looking too pleased with her as she roared.

"I'LL SHOW YOU LANGUAGE YOU MOTHER FUCKING PIECE OF HORSE CRAP!" she reached down for the pan and threw it again at the screen. This time it hit, though it only left a large crack in the lcd surface.

"Tut-tut. Such a temper Darling." The fractured Joker hissed "If you're not careful Daddy will have to discipline you. And you know how I'd hate to do that-"

"GO TO HELL!" she shrieked as she started hobbling away around a corner.

As she walked however she couldn't help but notice to her dread, that the voice seemed to follow her over the loudspeaker.

"Now really Darling I thought I taught you to behave better than that. Oh what's that boys?" his voice was muted slightly as he moved away from the microphone.

Mina saw her chance and quickly dashed into a doorway to her right.

Only to find herself in Doctor Young's office.

The room was empty but messy, as if it had been turned over. And the safe behind the desk was opened wide.

"Shit" Mina cursed as she limped over to it, examining it closely, only to find nothing there.

_This is bad. Really bad._

She gulped as she began searching the already messy desk, her mind racing.

Doctor Young may have been a bitch, but the formula she'd been producing was ground-breaking research. All her important notes that she and Mina had collected for the Titan formula had been in that safe.

_I guess that explains those mutants I saw with Quinn_

She mused darkly, remembering the large hulking monstrous figures in those dark rooms.

But what on earth could Joker want with the Titan formula?

_Correction, why_ _**wouldn't** _ _he want to use Titan?_

She snorted to herself. Yes, Joker didn't need a reason to use the Titan formula. If anything, it'd probably amuse him to see everyone transform into brainless violent beasts.

She shuddered. Just the thought of the chaos that clown could impose was enough to make her faintly sick.

There was the small chiming of the intercom and Mina looked up quickly as Joker once again began to speak:

"Joker here! With a little update for you all. First the good news. We have Dr. Young. Bad news is she's not talking. She's hidden a document somewhere in the mansion. I want it found! I've got a plan for six to loosen her tongue, but in the meantime, search every nook and cranny. There's a prize for whoever finds them. And for those of you who want extra credit, if you just so happen to see my little Darling, bring her to me, alive and whole. Hihihihihiheee!"

The laughter died away into an eerie silence.

_So…he doesn't have the Titan formula_

Mina sighed with relief as she sagged down into Dr Young's desk chair.

This was good, she supposed, but then another worry flooded into her mind.

If Joker didn't have the Titan formula then how did he manage to create the monsters? It made no sense…unless…

_Unless he was using one of the older formulas…yes that makes sense. The old formulae were unstable at best, most test subjects died very soon from over stressing their hearts after receiving even a small dosage. If he wants to create monsters that stay alive, let alone stay monsters permanently, he'll need whatever stabalizing agent Dr Young has put into the formula._

Mina quickly ducked to open a desk drawer where she knew some of the notes for Project X were kept, hidden under a false bottom. One which she herself had installed weeks before.

After quickly removing it she slipped the papers out.

Yes, these were exactly the same ones that had been there a week ago. Mina scanned them eagerly looking everywhere for the formula.

It wasn't Dr Young's formula, but her own mock one she'd come up with during her own research. A formula which, if it had the right components would produce a permanent transformation in the host without compromising optimal brain function.

It had merely been speculation back when she'd first thought of it, but now it was more polished. It only needed proper testing to confirm it. Either way, confirmed, unconfirmed, she was sure Dr Young was nowhere near close to refining her Titan formula to the degree Mina had done.

It would be one thing if Joker got his white gloved hands on Dr Young's Titan formula. But it would be cataclysmic if he got his hands onto Mina's.

She was quick to find her formula on the fifteenth page, which she quickly pocketed along with two more pages on the Titan plants written in her own hand.

Then she hobbled off towards the fireplace. Many of the bigger offices in the mansion had fireplaces, all electrical. Which was good for Mina as she quickly turned it on and flung the rest of all the papers inside it.

She watched it burning for a few moments, watching the flames lick at the paper, charring it black as it curled and disintegrated back into ash.

There was something very satisfying about watching it burn, and soon after it was finished, she began taking all the other strewn notes from around the room and flinging them into the blaze. She was careful not to burn them too fast. After all she didn't want to burn down the building…not yet at any rate.

_I'll burn this place down when I have Joker tied to a chair in the middle of it._

She thought savagely as the disembodied voice of the mad clown himself suddenly spoke again over the loud speaker.

"Going after the notes yourself eh Bats? Good luck. I've got a crew working over the good Doctor as I speak. They'll squeeze the formula out of her soon enough. Not to mention the army of clowns ripping this place part. One way or another, the formula will be mine. Why don't you just give up? Go on, roll over and die for once! Be your best friend!"

_Well that's just great. Batman's here too and so are Joker's goons. I guess I should get out of here before either of them get me._

* * *

"Damn woman. Damn Batman" Ghost grumbled as he wandered around the penitentiary.

He'd been searching the whole island for over two hours and he'd found no trace of Mina Poole.

It was as if she'd just vanished off the face of the earth.

_Joker must be keeping quiet about her current location…unless…unless he can't find her himself…_

He had to hand it to the woman, from what he had seen of the security footage in the medical centre, she could look after herself.

_But how long can she keep it up before she breaks?_

He wondered.

Yes that was indeed the ultimate question he asked himself as he turned a corner into a guard's bathroom. Once he was secure inside, he took off the bandanna covering the lower half of his face and splashed his face.

He snarled at his reflection in the grimy mirror…at the large "J" branded into his left cheek.

He wondered if Joker had left the same mark on her yet. The security footage hadn't shown her face clearly. The only thing he was aware of was that she had an injured foot and arm, and was wearing an orange jumpsuit like the one he currently wore over his combat gear.

As there were very few female inmates, you'd think her slender feminine form would be easy to spot. Yet so many of the inmates were malnourished dregs.

Like the ones that had just burst into the bathroom.

With a sigh, Ghost pulled out his gun and shot the first screaming wretch, blue eyes cold and dead as he said:

"Oh shut up and go to hell!"

BANG!

* * *

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait guys, but inspiration for this fic was running low and life's been very busy. Only just got back in the swing of things. So yeah i'm kinda skipping a bit of the game, but only because we're following Mina's side of the story (which doesn't always follow B'mans path)
> 
> Anyways this is for you guys and btw, a belated Happy Birthday to evy :)
> 
> So you guys know the drill, read and review if you have any ideas as to what you'd like to see in the future.
> 
> till next time.
> 
> Adios,
> 
> FuzzyBeta

**Author's Note:**

> TADAA! hey there every1! just wanted to say a quick hi and welcome to my new fic. This is my first fic for the Batman Arkhamverse. Just in case you were wondering about the timeline, this prologue takes place a year before Arkham Origins, while the rest of this story takes place during Arkham Asylum.
> 
> Hope you all enjoyed this little taster chapter and Review if you would like to hear more.


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